Cachar Police has arrested Barak Democratic Front’s chief convenor Pradip Dutta Roy after 8 hours of interrogation for issuing ultimatum of 48 hours to replace an Assamese hoarding with a Bengali one.
Pradip Dutta Roy, who is also the founding president of All Cachar Karimganj Hailakandi Students’ Association (ACKHSA), on the basis of a case registered at Silchar Sadar police station.
The case was lodged by the Hindu Yuva Parishad.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also in charge of the home department, reportedly ordered the police to arrest Dutta Roy.
Sarma said, “Pradip Dutta Roy is anti-Bengali,” adding, “Bengali Hindus have already become minority in the Barak Valley””
The Cachar Police has levelled charges against Dutta Roy under sections 153, 295, 124, 505 and 506.
According to a report, the district administration of Cachar put up a hoarding in Assamese language at Meherpur on November 24, 2021.
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On November 25, 2021, Pradip Dutta Roy issued a 48-hour ultimatum to remove the hoarding.
Surprisingly, the district administration removed the hoarding on November 27, 2021 for which the BJP-led government drew massive criticism.
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Cachar Police has arrested Barak Democratic Front’s chief convenor Pradip Dutta Roy
Dutta Roy was summoned by the police on Friday to the office of the superintendent of police and at 10 am on Saturday.
Expressing his concern over Dutta Roy’s statement, Assam water resources minister Pijush Hazarika termed him as an “insane” person.
Several organisations demanded arrest of Dutta Roy.