12 AAMSU members arrested for allegedly extorting cattle trader
Lakhimpur AAMSU termed the arrests of its members as a part of wider political conspiracy
North Lakhimpur, July 28: Twelve members of the All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU) of Lakhimpur district have been arrested for allegedly demanding money from a cattle trader in North Lakhimpur. They were arrested on Saturday evening following an FIR lodged by a cattle trader at North Lakhimpur Sadar police station.
Lakhimpur Superintendent of Police Gunendra Deka, while addressing the press, informed that the arrests were made following complaint by one Rashidul Haque, the cattle trader. According to Haque, his truck AS01FC 7291 carrying 34 cows from Gogamukh was stopped by a group of AAMSU members on NH-15 bypass. Despite having all the required documents of cattle trade and transportation, the AAMSU members demanded Rs 1 lakh from the truck and roughed up the driver. They also allegedly took away Rs 15,000 in cash from the truck driver.
Based on the complaint, North Lakhimpur police arrested the AAMSU leaders and took custody after producing them before the judicial authorities.
The arrested AAMSU members include its district unit president Zahirul Islam, general secretaries Allauddin Khilji and Mainul Islam. The other arrested have been identified as Abdul Hussain, Faruk Hussain, Farizul Haq, Rafiquddin Ahmed, Vickey Mandal, Nazmul Haq, Zahidul Ali, Abdul Sharif and Salim Lashkar.
However, the Lakhimpur AAMSU has termed the arrests of its members as a part of wider political conspiracy. According to one of the arrested leaders, Lakhimpur AAMSU had stopped three vehicles for illegally transporting cattle and was taking them to Lilabari police outpost when the complaint was lodged.