Woman Travels 500 km To Protest Outside Assam Secretariat Over Son's Death

A woman from Assam's Dhemaji travelled alone for over 500 km to Guwahati on Tuesday and staged a protest outside Janata Bhawan, the state secretariat, seeking justice for her son Rakesh Bora, whose death the family has described as suspicious.

Jerina Bora, a widow and a resident of West Baligaon in Gogamukh, arrived in Guwahati carrying a photograph of her son. She alleged that Rakesh, who died at Kolapani in Boginadi on February 28, was murdered and that the case was later treated as an accident.

According to Jerina, she approached the Boginadi Police Station after her son's death and also met the district Superintendent of Police along with her maternal uncle. She alleged that despite repeated appeals, the family did not receive the action it was seeking.

Jerina said there were injury marks on Rakesh's body and claimed the scooter he was riding did not show corresponding signs of serious damage. She said these circumstances led the family to suspect that his death was not caused by a road accident.

The family has also named Padmeshwar Gogoi, Dipu Gogoi, Sarat Sonowal and Rubul Tamuli in the complaint and alleged that no proper action was taken against them. Jerina further alleged that the investigation was influenced and that the names provided by the family were not adequately pursued.

She said Rakesh had gone out for work and had not received his salary for several months before his death. Jerina also alleged that her son was killed at Gulabali and that the police subsequently treated the case as an accident.

"My son did not die in an accident. I met the SP with my maternal uncle and appealed for justice. He was my only son. I have nobody else to fight for him. I will continue to seek justice," Jerina said.

Jerina said her husband, Mintu Bora, died two years ago and that she has since been left to pursue the case concerning her son's death.

During Tuesday's protest, she appealed to the Assam Chief Minister Himant Biswa Sarma to intervene in the matter and sought a fresh investigation. She also said she would approach the authorities for a CBI probe if necessary.

The allegations made by the family could not be independently verified.