One arrested for murder of BJP booth president in Assam

Police said the victim and the accused were related and the latter was mentally challenged.

Published on: Mar 13, 2021, 11:35:22 IST

By Utpal Parashar, Hindustan Times, Guwahati

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Police in Assam’s Tinsukia district have arrested one person for the murder of a booth president of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday ahead of assembly election in the state.

The accused was nabbed hours after the murder. (Representational Photo/Getty Images)

Debananda Gogoi, president of BJP’s Buridihing gaon panchayat was stabbed to death in Nagaon area of Bordumsa in Margherita assembly seat on Friday evening.

Since polling in Margherita is scheduled to be held in the first phase on March 27, it was immediately suspected that the reason for the murder could be linked to political rivalry.

The murder was allegedly committed by one Joychandra Gogoi, who was nabbed late on Friday night by Tinsukia police. Though some reports say that the accused is affiliated with a newly formed regional party, the police did not confirm it.

“The accused was nabbed hours after the incident. Both the deceased and the accused are related. The accused seems a bit mentally unstable and has a history of violent behaviour. There seems to be no political motive behind the murder,” said Jitmol Doley, deputy inspector general of police (DIGP), Tinsukia.

The BJP has condemned the murder.

“Deeply saddened to know about the killing of Shri Debananda Gogoi, BJP booth president of Buridihing gaon panchayat in Tinsukia. Such brutal inhumane act will not be tolerated,” tweeted BJP’s Assam unit chief Ranjeet Kumar Dass.

Senior Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also expressed shock and anguish at the murder and expressed condolences to the family.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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