Assam: Elderly man assaulted in new moral policing incident in Sonitpur

An elderly man named Prasad Barman was attacked by a group of 6-7 individuals in Bogijuli, Sonitpur, on the suspicion of selling marijuana. The assault left Barman with serious injuries.

According to local sources, Barman was accosted by the mob on May 20. Witnesses reported that the group mercilessly beat the elderly man, accusing him of being involved in the illegal drug trade. Despite his pleas of innocence, Barman was subjected to brutal violence until passersby intervened and alerted the authorities. The victim was subsequently taken to a nearby hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment.

This incident comes on the heels of another horrific case of moral policing that occurred earlier this month. On May 4, a woman in Gur village, Dalgaon, was brutally tortured in a shocking display of mob justice. Allegedly under suspicion of throwing stones on a neighbor's roof, the woman was dragged from her home, tied to a tree, and beaten. The attackers, in an act of extreme cruelty, poured water mixed with chili powder on her body.

The woman's ordeal was filmed and the video quickly spread across social media, drawing widespread condemnation. The incident reportedly took place at night, with the woman's husband, believed to be the mastermind behind the attack, among the ten people named in the FIR lodged at Panbari police station. The neighbor, Baharul Islam, was also implicated.

Villagers allege that the woman's husband has a history of multiple marriages, which has further complicated the situation. The woman was eventually rescued by fellow villagers and transported to the hospital for urgent care.