Indian soldiers beat everyone in sight in Sonapur, Assam
Dainik Agradoot, 29 June, 1997, Sonapur
Today morning, a contingent
of Indian soldiers, who were searching for members of the ULFA, created
mass panic by beating anyone in sight in the villages of Teteliya
Bogibari, Ho~hora, Gamariya, Kampur, Kalongpar, Malaybari and other
areas. The people were all peaceful citizens. According to reports,
alleged members of the ULFA pasted posters in the areas against
the ruling AGP party. Hearing this, a contingent of Indian soldiers,
came to the village at 9 am and started hitting anyone they could find.
They questioned a clothing store owner by the name Nandanlal Mewar
in the village of Kalongpar about activities of the ULFA in the region, and
when he expressed a lack of knowledge, they beat him very badly. They
beat four customers who were in the shop at the time. Then they
pulled a college student by the name of Diganta Kalita out of a bus
and forced him to read the posters. After he finished reading the
posters they slapped him on both his cheeks and hit him with their
batons on his back, made him hold his ears in punishment and made
him do sit-ups in that state. At 10 am, the soldiders ran after
three young men on bicycle and beat them. After beating anyone in
sight for two hours, they went to the village of Sonapur and
beat people there. Finally they left without arresting anyone.
Tranlated from Assamese by Jugal Kalita