Silchar: Police have arrested four more people over the alleged assault on an 11-member Bihu troupe during an idol immersion procession in Sribhumi, taking the total number of arrests to 17.Sribhumi superintendent of police (SP) Leena Dole on Monday ruled out an ethnic or communal angle, saying the violence followed an altercation involving intoxicated youths.The latest arrests came after CM Himanta Biswa Sarma directed the police to take immediate action. The accused were identified as Sumit Kumar Das, Arnab Kumar Roy, Priyanshu Paul and Priyanshu Das. Earlier, 13 people arrested in the case were produced before a court and secured bail.Addressing the media, Dole said the incident was neither a planned attack on Assamese artists nor an attempt to undermine Assamese culture in Barak Valley.“If it was a communal attack, why would the puja committee invite Assamese artists to perform Bihu?” she asked.The SP said the investigation established that the incident was an isolated clash involving intoxicated individuals during the immersion procession and was not linked to an Assamese-Bengali ethnic divide.The incident occurred during the final idol immersion procession organised by Hindustan Club. Artists from Borgul and Adarkona villages under Badarpur police station were invited to perform. Several artistes were injured after an altercation allegedly broke out between the performers and some organisers.All Assam Students’ Union held a protest rally in Sribhumi town on Monday, condemning the assault and demanding stringent action against those responsible.All Barak Valley Chutia Students’ Union submitted a memorandum addressed to the chief minister through the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Sribhumi, seeking a transparent investigation and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.The organisation also sought medical treatment and financial assistance for the injured, stronger security for cultural performers, and measures to prevent similar incidents. It appealed for Assamese cultural programmes to be held without obstruction and urged the administration to protect harmony between Assamese- and Bengali-speaking communities.Expressing concern over the safety of Assamese-speaking residents in Barak Valley, the students’ body sought measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.The assault has drawn condemnation from several organisations across Assam. Amid the outrage, appeals have been made to maintain harmony and avoid giving the incident an ethnic colour.
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