Guwahati was tense last night following a violent altercation at Central Mall involving four non-Assamese youths over a parking dispute.
The situation escalated into hooliganism, leading to the assault of a Central Mall staff member and several of the mall’s security personnel.
According to reports, the confrontation began around 9:30 PM when the youths, unable to find parking within the mall premises, argued with the security guards. The situation worsened when the youths reportedly attacked a mall staff member who had intervened.
A staff member from Central Mall described the incident: “I saw a few youths, who are probably non-Assamese, involved in a heated argument with our security personnel. One of my colleagues, who works in the mall, confronted them and asked them not to create a scene since there was no parking available inside. The youths then began to beat him. We later learned they were non-Assamese. As Assamese individuals, we feel unsafe these days. I suspect the youths were under the influence of alcohol. With recent incidents in Meghalaya, we wonder how we will be safe in other parts of the country. The rise in rape cases and other crimes is also a concern.”
The Dispur police later arrived at the scene, and four of the youths were detained and taken to the police station. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Mrinal Deka is overseeing the investigation, which includes reviewing CCTV footage from the parking lot.
