Assam to fund film on historic Sootea Police Station, turn it into heritage site
The police station is the first government building in the country where the Tricolour was hoisted before Independence
A file image of the iconic Sootea Police Station. (Photo:@himantabiswa/X)
Guwahati, August 21: The Assam government has announced plans to transform the Sootea Police Station—the first government building in the country where the Tricolour was hoisted before Independence—into a tourist destination.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed the initiative during the foundation-laying ceremony of the Rs 5-crore project on Wednesday.
He also announced that the government will finance a film documenting the history of the Sootea Police Station.
“It was a pivotal moment in India’s history. The hoisting of the flag also highlighted how smaller towns like Sootea played courageous and significant roles in the freedom movement,” Sarma said, marking Sootea Divas—a day observed in memory of the freedom fighters who raised the Tricolour on August 20, 1942.
Freedom fighters in Sootea hoisted the flag at the police station during the Quit India Movement, acting ahead of the nationwide call to hoist the Tricolour at all police stations on September 20, 1942, he added.
Sarma added that the day is not only a piece of regional history but also a reminder that collective courage and quiet determination can challenge long-standing oppression.
“Celebrating this event enriches our shared heritage and inspires the new generation to honour the heroes who fought for our Independence. The nation will always remember and cherish their sacrifices,” he said.
He noted that the 1942 event in Sootea has been documented by eminent historians, including Heramba Kumar Borpujari, Surya Kumar Bhuyan, and Amalendu Guha, and cited in the district gazette, the National Archives, and other official records.
Highlighting recent developmental initiatives, Sarma said the state government has undertaken several projects to improve infrastructure and facilities in Sootea.
He also announced a Rs 2-crore complex at the open Bihu field in the town. Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister inaugurated two girls’ hostels at Tyagbir Hem Baruah College in Jamugurihat.
PTI