Pre-poll Violence Reaches New High In Assam As Miscreants Fire At BJP Leader's Convoy

Initially, the attackers pelted stones at the padyatris and then attacked them with lathis following which they fired at the members, injuring three of them.

Guwahati: Pre-poll violence reached a new high in Assam's Samaguri constituency on Saturday late evening when suspected armed miscreants fired at a padayatra of BJP members including Barhampur MLA Jitu Goswami leading to the injury if three persons.

The incident took place in the Moriputhi area under the Samaguri constituency when a group of miscreants attacked leaders of the saffron party during the march including a legislator from Barhampur, Jitu Goswami.

Locals said that first, the attackers pelted stones at the padyatris (walkers on foot) and then attacked them with lathis (sticks). Later some unidentified miscreants fired at the BJP members injuring three of them. MLA Goswami's vehicle was also partially damaged due to the attack of the miscreants. All the three injured were rushed to a hospital in Nagaon.

Samaguri constituency has been witnessing stray incidents of violence between the supporters of the ruling BJP and Congress in the last few days.

While Tanzil Hussain, son of former minister and Lok Sabha MP from Dhubri Rakibul Hussain is contesting on a Congress ticket, BJP has fielded young leader Diplu Ranjan Sarma in the constituency. Assam minister Bimal Borah reached the spot immediately after the incident and hinted at Congress leader Rakibul Hussain's involvement in the incident.

"Hussain has lost his mental balance seeing that his son is going to lose the election. That is the reason he has resorted to violence," said Borah. Senior police officials who had reached the spot however refused to comment. "We are aware of the firing incident taking place here. Investigation is on to trace the culprits," said a police officer who had reached the spot.