Assam: Gauhati HC Grants Bail To 19-Yr-Old Arrested For Writing Poem Backing Banned Outfit ULFA-I

Barshashree Buragohain posted a poem titled "Akou Korim Rashtra Droh" (will rebel against the nation again) on Facebook and was arrested after a complaint filed by a police constable.

Barshashree Buragohain, 19, was arrested from Golaghat on May 1. (Image: Facebook/junte.buragohain)

The Gauhati High Court on Thursday granted bail to a 19-year-old student, who was arrested nearly two months ago by Assam Police for allegedly writing a poem on social media in support of banned outfit ULFA (I), news agency PTI reported. According to reports, Barshashree Buragohain posted a poem titled "Akou Korim Rashtra Droh" (will rebel against the nation again) on Facebook and was arrested after a complaint filed by police constable Pankaj Saikia alleging that she posted objectionable statements.

Justice Ajit Borthakur granted bail to Barshashree after the state's lawyer refrained from opposing her application. She is currently housed in the Golaghat Central Jail. The student was granted bail on the condition that she must pay one surety of Rs 25,000.

The accused was arrested by Assam Police on May 18 from Uriamghat district in Golaghat. 

Speaking to PTI, Barshashree's lawyer said that she is likely to be released from jail by tomorrow after completion of necessary formalities. Barshashree is a BSc. second year Maths student of Jorhat's DCB College.

She was arrrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) which led to massive protests in the state, demanding Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to order her release.

Responding to the demands, Sarma said that if her parents or anybody take the responsibility and see to it that she did not join the ULFA(I), she would be released. He maintained that she was arrested for her statement to join the banned ULFA(I) and not for writing a poem.

Recently, she had filed a plea requesting that the Golaghat court allow her to appear for her semester examinations which began on July 16. The court approved her request and permitted her to appear in the exam with necessary police escort and precautionary measures.

"The arrangements be made in a proper venue on each and every date as per the programme of the examination by providing necessary police escort party and by taking precautionary measures," the court said in its order.