Assam Student Arrested For Poem 'Supporting' Banned Outfit, Police Say Law Will Take Its Course

The girl is a second-year student of Mathematics at Jorhat's DCB College and her examinations are scheduled to commence later this month.

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New Delhi: A 19-year-old Assam girl was arrested for penning a poem allegedly supporting a banned outfit, news agency PTI reported. Amid a statewide uproar over her arrest, police on Wednesday said that the law will take its own course. According to the PTI report, the girl, Barshashree Buragohain, was arrested on May 18 this year from Uriamghat in Golaghat district, for allegedly writing on the social media a poem titled 'Akou Korim Rashtra Droh' (will again rebel against the nation).

Following her post, taking to his Twitter handle, Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) GP Singh, said there is "a specific call to indulge in waging war against the State in her Facebook post".

"When someone publicly professes support for a banned organisation and declares intent of waging war against the Indian state, we are legally bound to prosecute that person. Following due process, a chargesheet shall be filed in a competent court of law. Let the law take its own course," the senior police officer said.

When someone publicly professes support for a banned organisation and declares intent of waging war against the Indian state, we are legally bound to prosecute that person. Following due process, charge sheet shall be filed in competent court of law. Let the law take its own.

— GP Singh (@gpsinghips) July 13, 2022

It is to be noted that the girl is a second-year student of Mathematics at Jorhat's DCB College and her examinations are scheduled to commence later this month.

As per the report, her parents have appealed to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the police to release her from jail so that she can appear for her semester-end examinations, following which, people from various quarters have started demanding her release.

Meanwhile, according to a report by The New Indian Express, CM Sarma on Thursday said that the girl was not arrested for the poem but she wanted to join the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).

“The girl was not arrested for writing a poem. If she had not been arrested, she would have gone to the ULFA. How can we allow her to do so? If she goes to the ULFA, she will return as a human bomb and kill us,” The New Indian Express quoted the CM as saying.

He further added, “We have to save her. Forty-two boys and girls died in the ULFA camps. What if she also gets killed there? We have to think of her. She is being counselled. I sent people to the jail this morning to talk to her.”

CM Sarma said that the girl will be released if she and her parents give an undertaking that she will not join ULFA.

Notably, Congress's Barpeta MP Abdul Khaleque has also tweeted demanding Buragohain's release from prison.