The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) on Wednesday staged a day-long protest at Thana Chariali in Dibrugarh demanding the release of five of its members who were arrested by the Dibrugarh Police recently.

The police had arrested 5 AASU members for their alleged involvement in a “bloody” college election brawl that left several students injured.

AASU leaders including its advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya, president Dipanka Kumar Nath, and general secretary Sankor Jyoti Baruah joined the sit-in protest in Dibrugarh.

The AASU members raised slogans against the government and the police and sought the immediate release of the jailed Aasu activists.

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“We want to warn the government that such kind of activities will not be tolerated. We demand that the Aasu members be released immediately”, Samujjal Bhattacharya told media persons.

He added that the police manhandled the “innocent members” in an inhuman and barbaric manner.

“Today we have launched a peaceful state-wide protest against the government and the police. We also demand strict action against the police”, Bhattacharya added.

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Earlier, on Sunday the students’ body had called a 24-hour Dibrugarh bandh in protest against the arrests after which the Dibrugarh SP Shwetank Mishra served a legal notice to its general secretary Sankor Jyoti Baruah directing him to withdraw the bandh or face legal action. Later the Aasu reduced the bandh to 12 hours.

The police had earlier detained 15 members from its office after the violent brawl with ABVP members during the result day of the Dibru College students’ body election.

Several students had to be hospitalized after the incident. The police later arrested 5 members of the organisation while releasing the others.

Avik Chakraborty is Northeast Now Correspondent in Dibrugarh. He can be reached at: [email protected]