Cong asks governor to direct state govt to order judicial

The Congress on Sunday urged Assam Governor Jagadish Mukhi to direct the state government to institute a judicial inquiry into the protests against the amended Citizenship Act that claimed four lives.

The party demanded that the inquiry should be carried out by a sitting judge of the Gauhati High Court.

While officials said that four persons had died in police firing, the protesters claimed that five persons had died in the firing during the agitations against the contentious law.

There should be an inquiry whether excessive force was warranted against the protesters and the Model Rules adopted by the Inspectors General of Police Conference, 1964 were adhered to while carrying out lathi-charges and firing on the protesters, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, said in a letter to the governor.

"The inquiry should find out whether a magistrate was present at all the places where firing took place, a clear warning was given before firing commenced, aim ..