Back-to-back cases of police misconduct: FIR against Jorhat SI for assaulting woman, infant
AT Photo: Dimpy Das (left) and Jorhat Sub-Inspector Barnali Gohain (right)
Jorhat, Nov. 17: Just a day after a Guwahati police officer was suspended for assaulting a delivery boy, a similar incident in Jorhat has intensified public anger over alleged police misconduct.
On Saturday morning, Sub-Inspector (SI) Barnali Gohain allegedly assaulted a woman, Dimpy Das, and injured her two-month-old infant during a visit to her home in connection with an investigation.
According to Dimpy, the officer accused her of being an accomplice to a detained individual. “She came to my home and asked, ‘Who is Dimpy?’ When I identified myself, she hit me while I was holding my child,” Dimpy recounted.
“The child was hurt in the process. When I asked why she hit me, she demanded access to my phone and threatened me with dire consequences if I refused to unlock it,” she added.
Dimpy further described pleading with the SI to stop as the officer struck her chest, ignoring her explanation that she had recently undergone a caesarean section.
Dimpy’s mother, Juri Das, alleged that she was also threatened when she intervened. “When I asked why she was hitting my daughter, the officer said, ‘I will hit you too.’”
The family reported that their home was ransacked during the incident, and the injured infant was advised to undergo immediate medical examination and treatment.
Later that evening, an FIR was lodged against SI Gohain at the Jorhat police station.
The incident follows the suspension of Panbazar Officer-in-Charge (OC) Bhargav Borbora, who was accused of physically assaulting a delivery boy in Guwahati on Friday. Both cases have triggered widespread criticism of police practices in Assam.
Earlier on Saturday, while addressing the Guwahati incident, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condemned the officer’s actions and called for sweeping reforms within the Assam Police. He emphasised the need for "accountability, compassion, and systemic change" to restore public trust.
As investigations proceed in both cases, the public outcry for accountability is growing louder, with many demanding urgent action to address recurring allegations of police brutality in the state.
