‘Pulled out a dagger’: ‘Drunk’ truck driver attacks BJP MLA Ritu Baran in Assam | Guwahati News
GUWAHATI: A truck driver, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, attacked a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA in Guwahati on Sunday in Assam’s Sonitpur district, triggering a major commotion in the area.The incident, which reportedly occurred in the presence of several people, led to a heated confrontation between the driver and the MLA.According to the police, the victim has been identified as Ritu Baran Sarmah, the MLA from Barchalla constituency.“The incident happened outside the MLA’s office, where the truck driver rammed a parked vehicle belonging to the party workers. Currently, the truck driver is under medical treatment and a case has been registered against him, and he would be produced before the court,” said Sonitpur SSP Barun Purkayastha.Meanwhile, Sarmah addressing the media, said that there were no casualties since all the party workers were inside the office.“We were concerned that the situation could escalate, so we asked the police to take the driver to the police station and handle the matter there. Our party members were also trying to explain the situation and asking him to cooperate with the police. We told him that the police would take whatever action was necessary. However, at one point, the man took out a dagger and started behaving aggressively. Our party members and some of the people present tried to intervene, while the police were also at the spot and took care of the situation,” he said.He also added that there was some scuffling during the incident, in which two home guards sustained injuries, including one of their personnel who injured his finger.“The police were initially handling the situation. Later, when members of the public caught hold of him. Subsequently, one of our constables came up with an idea and threw sand towards his face. After the sand entered his eyes, he was momentarily distracted and became less aggressive. The police and others were then able to catch and restrain him,” he further added.
