The Darrang police on Saturday arrested general secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC) and state party observer, Jitendra Singh, along with party state president Ripun Bora, MP Gaurav Gogoi and former state minister Rockybul Hussain on charges of violation of section 144 of CrPC in Mangaldai.

The party leaders were in Mangaldai to participate in the Kishan Tractor Rally on Saturday.

These senior Congress leaders and their supporters marched towards the office of the Darrang deputy commissioner from the Rajiv Bhawan campus and tried to cross the bamboo barricades that had been placed by the police near Ram Janaki Temple Chariali on national highway 15.

During the rally the leaders severely criticized the BJP led government both at the state and centre, describing them as anti-farmers and pro-corporate.

The Darrang district administration in an order issued on Friday had rejected the application of the Darrang Congress Committee for permission to hold a Kishan Tractor Rally, citing section 144 of CrPC.

Section 144 prohibits the assembly of five or more persons in public places.

Mayukh Goswami is Northeast Now Correspondent in Mangaldai. He can be reached at: [email protected]