JORHAT, Sept 2 - Teok Police today arrested 22 persons on charges of lynching the doctor of Teok Tea Estate Dr Deben Dutta on Saturday at the hospital.
A police source here stated all the 22 people arrested were produced before the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Jorhat) after which the Additional CJM Abdus Sattar sent the accused to judicial custody.
The accused have been booked under Sections 302, 341, 342, 427, 506, 143, 144, 147, 148, 149 of the IPC along with Section 4 of the Assam Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions ( Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act ,2011 in the Teok Police Station case number 434/2019.
Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Roshni A Korati told The Assam Tribune this evening that today she held talks with senior officials of the management of the garden and officials of the State Labour Welfare Department office here about lifting of the lockout declared in the estate since Saturday night after the incident.
Korati said that officials led by Assistant Labour Commissioner (Jorhat) will be organising discussions between representatives from the estate management and workers� union regarding lifting of the lockout.
Meanwhile, the Jorhat district administration stated that the magisterial inquiry on the incident ordered by the Jorhat Deputy Commissioner, to be conducted by Additional Deputy Commissioner Subhan Gowala, will hold public hearings from September 3 to 5 at the Teok Revenue Circle office from 11 am to 2 pm.
The note issued by the administration, said that Teok Revenue Circle officer Bhaskar Jyoti Rajbongshi, Teok TE Manager Manoj Gogoi, Welfare officer Jiban Kurmi, workers of the estate, president and secretary of the workers� union of the garden, local unit president and secretary of AATSA and family members of the deceased doctor, have been asked to give their statements before the magistrate.
Any person having any information or evidence regarding the incident could appear before the magistrate and submit the same for benefit of the probe, the note said.
It may be mentioned here that on Saturday late afternoon, a large group of workers went bersek reportedly after not finding the doctor in the garden hospital when an injured worker brought to the garden hospital died. As Dutta arrived later he was physically assaulted by the mob and after being rescued by police and administration officials, Dutta succumbed to his injuries at the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital in the evening.
Peace meeting at Teok: Meanwhile, a peace meeting was held at the Jogduwar High School at Teok in Jorhat district under the presidentship of Romen Sarmah, a teacher and a local social worker, ANN Service adds from Teok.
The meeting, attended by the Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Roshni A Korati, Jorhat SP, VC Nimbalkar, Teok Revenue Circle officer Bhaskar Jyoti Rajbongshi, representatives of several students� and social organisations, stressed upon all sections of the society to maintain peace and harmony in the area.
The speakers called for speedy and proper investigation into the case of lynching of the doctor so that culprits were brought to justice.
Completion of the probe and filing of the charge-sheet of the case in the court within 90 days was demanded by the representatives of the organisations so that the accused do not get bail and come out of the jail.
Further intensifying of drives against Illicit liquor in tea garden areas was called for in the meeting as part of the measures to avoid incidents of violence like that happened in Teok TE.
ATTSA general secretary Pawan Bedia, speaking in the meeting condemned the incident and called for stern punishment against the guilty.
He requested all tea estate workers of Jorhat district to hold condolence meeting in the respective gardens tomorrow to pay homage to the deceased garden doctor killed on Saturday.
