ULFA(I) Intervention Sees FIR Against Shrinkhal Chaliha Withdrawn

Assam BJP leader Gaurav Somani has withdrawn the FIR at Guwahati's Dispur Police Station against Bir Lachit Sena leader Shrinkhal Chaliha in the alleged assault case of a 17-year-old girl, an arm wrestler, in Sivasagar on August 13.

In the wake of the incident, Somani had filed an FIR against Chaliha for "spewing venom against the Marwari, Bhojpuri, Bengali and other communities residing in Assam" and also for "threatening to close various social, religious, and community-based organisations".

However, the extremist group United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) issued a threat against 'outsiders' on Monday. ULFA(I) said that it would target outsiders if a BJP leader did not withdraw an FIR against Chaliha.

Somani had filed the FIR based on videos of a protest by members of around 30 organisations against the assault of the minor girl in Sivasagar town's Babu Patty area. He said that the members of the "Marwari community are also proud members of the Assamese community" and efforts to "break the social fabric" should be dealt with strongly.

The ULFA(I) said that staging protests against the assault of a local girl by non-Assamese businessmen was the moral right of the people. "Outsiders" in Assam would be faced with a "grave situation" if the FIR was not withdrawn, it added in a statement.

Sivasagar Police have arrested two men in connection with the matter.

Notably, the Marwari community issued a public apology over the matter earlier today and expressed regret for the delay in addressing to. They served tamul-paan, a traditional Assamese gesture to apologise. The state government has also announced a financial aid of Rs 2 lakh to cover the treatment costs of the victim.

Following the public apology, another FIR against the Bir Lachit Sena leader at Guwahati's Bharalumukh Police Station was also withdrawn.

Also Read: 17-Year-Old Female Arm Wrestler Beaten Up, Molested in Assam’s Sivasagar