Calls mount for CBI probe into PWD engineer’s death as Congress hits Guwahati streets
Earlier, the Democratic Youth Federation of India had demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident
Congress staged a protest in Ganeshguri on Sunday.
Guwahati, July 27: Voices demanding an unbiased inquiry into the death of Public Works Department (PWD) junior engineer Joshita Das are growing louder in the state.
The latest to join the chorus for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee staged a protest in Ganeshguri, holding the BJP-led state government accountable for the 26-year-old’s untimely death, on Sunday.
The protesters alleged that “rampant corruption and systemic harassment” within the Public Works Department (PWD) pushed the young engineer, posted in Bongaigaon, to take her own life.
They blamed the government’s “extreme negligence” and failure to ensure women's safety for the incident.
“This is not just about Joshita. If this continues, many more honest officers will fall victim to such a toxic system. We demand strict punishment for those responsible. We demand a CBI probe into the matter,” said Mira Borthakur, President of the Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress.
Earlier on Saturday, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Assam State Committee, also blamed alleged deep-rooted corruption and irregularities within the PWD for the suicide of assistant engineer Das.
The youth organisation demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident and strict action against those responsible.
The youth body alleged that the young engineer was caught in a web of exploitation and was left with no option but to take the extreme step.
“This is not an isolated case but a reflection of the larger culture of corruption, lawlessness, and pressure that prevails across several departments of the State government,” alleged DYFI secretary Ritu Ranjan Das.
The organisation cited another recent suicide of a teacher in Biswanath district, allegedly due to mental harassment by a senior official, as another example of the worsening work environment in government departments.
“There is a well-known public perception that many departments are run by powerful nexuses involving ministers, top officials, and contractors, where rules are flouted with impunity,” added the organisation’s president, Rustam Ali.
On July 23 a Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) and an Executive Engineer were arrested in Bongaigaon following the recovery of a suicide note left behind by the junior engineer Das.
The 26-year-old deceased, a native of Guwahati’s Silpukhuri locality, was found dead at her rented accommodation in Bongaigaon on July 22. Initial reports suggest she died by suicide.
In the note recovered from the scene, Joshita alleged extreme work-related pressure and named SDO Aminul Islam and Executive Engineer Dinesh Medhi as responsible for her ordeal.