The 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' and its chief organizer KB Byju are facing legal action as an FIR has been lodged against them for allegedly deviating from the approved route in Jorhat town, Assam. The incident transpired on Thursday, according to information obtained from police sources. An official revealed that instead of proceeding towards KB Road as authorized, the march took an alternative path within the town, causing a "chaotic situation" in the area.
Some people fell due to the sudden rush of people and a stampede-like situation was created. A suo motu FIR has been registered at Jorhat Sadar Police Station against the Yatra and its chief organiser, he added. According to the official, the FIR mentioned that the Yatra did not follow the district administration’s norms and it violated road safety norms.
When contacted, Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia told PTI that the FIR was a ploy to create unnecessary obstacles before the Yatra. There was no police manning the traffic diversion at the PWD point. The assigned route was too small and we had a huge gathering. So, we took a detour for just a few metres. Himanta Biswa Sarma is scared of the Yatra’s success on the first day (in Assam) and now wants to derail it, he added.
The Assam segment of the march is scheduled to persist until January 25, covering a distance of 833 km across 17 districts. The Yatra, under the leadership of the Congress MP, was initiated in Manipur on January 14 and is set to conclude its journey on March 20 in Mumbai.