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Incident Overview

Guwahati, July 2: Recent updates regarding the protest in Golaghat reveal that the plastic bottle thrown during the demonstration actually struck the convoy of Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, rather than Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, as was initially reported.

Police Report Details

In a communication dated June 30 addressed to the Officer-in-Charge of Golaghat Police Station, Inspector Mintu Handique detailed that the incident transpired while Minister Bora's convoy was near the GDSA Indoor Stadium on June 29.

According to the letter, at approximately 1:20 PM during the protest, individuals from Congress Bhawan, situated next to the road, threw a green plastic bottle (1 liter) at Minister Bora's convoy, impacting the KIA vehicle with registration number AS-01GF/6600.

The letter, which is available for review, characterizes the event as a threat to the Minister's safety, suggesting a potential criminal conspiracy.

Protest Details

A copy of the letter 

The letter indicates that a group of Youth Congress members gathered near the stadium around noon on Sunday to protest, chanting slogans against Jayanta Malla Baruah and attempting to display black flags. Eight black flags were confiscated from them, and they attempted to enter the road to protest, potentially causing a law-and-order issue.

Arrests and Legal Action

Currently, six individuals have been detained in connection with the incident, including Pallab Chetia, secretary of the Golaghat District Congress Committee, and Rahul Phukan, the son of a former Block Congress secretary.

The complaint filed seeks action under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including criminal conspiracy and rioting. A case (Golaghat P.S. Case No. 1062/2025) has been registered, and police investigations are ongoing.

Public Reaction and Political Implications

Initially, social media and local reports mistakenly identified the Chief Minister as the target of the attack, but the district administration's clarification confirmed that it was Minister Bora's convoy that was affected.

Chief Minister Sarma responded on social media, expressing that he would have preferred the bottle to hit him instead of the vehicle.

While the opposition Congress claims the protest was merely symbolic, the ruling BJP argues that throwing objects at a VVIP convoy is a serious breach of safety. On July 1, the BJP organized statewide protests condemning the incident, with senior leaders accusing the Congress of orchestrating the act and demanding stringent action.

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