DIGBOI, Dec 26 - A broiler chicken meat seller identified as Bipul Saikia (34) was hacked to death late Sunday night here at Itabhata near Digboi College following arguments with two alleged drug addicts of the locality.
According to relatives of the deceased, the victim who was a resident of a nearby village of Balijan New Colony owned a hotel along the Digboi-Duliajan road in Itabhata. He has also been selling broiler chicken for the past seven years. As usual, two local youths identified as Madhujya Goswami, son of Kartik Goswami, and Parthajit Baruah, son of late Nanak Baruah, came to the hotel under the influence of drugs and created a ruckus beside engaging in arguments with the deceased over some money-related issues, which was somehow stopped after physical assaults by both the parties.
However, Madhujya Goswami later came out of his residence despite parental resistance and hacked Saikia to death using a meat chopper under the cover of thick fog and darkness. Thereafter, Goswami buried the corpse under a heap of sand near his residence. Meanwhile, the visible parts of the body were spotted by the neighbours next morning, who informed the police.
Meanwhile, Parthajit Baruah, who was with the accused in the hotel where they had arguments, was arrested by Digboi police here this morning. �Three of us were drinking for sometime outside the hotel and suddenly both of them grew furious and I left the place after the brief physical tussel, which was stopped by the parents of the accused,� Baruah told this correspondent who also added, �I had no knowledge about the murder, which I came to know the next morning.�
To pressurise the administration for immediate arrest of the addicted criminal, various organisations and local residents planned to initiate a road blockade at Chariali, which was later abandoned following an assurance from the administration.
Meanwhile, a case has been registered (no. 264/17) under Sections 302/201/34. A team of Digboi police has already started the investigation and efforts are on to nab the culprit.
Lamenting the role of the local police, Lakhmi Goswami, mother of the accused said that consumption of various forms of drugs in broad daylight and unabated selling of illicit liquor in every nook and corner of the oiltown, are the main reasons behind the increasing cases of crimes.
