Adivasi man files FIR alleging assault, caste abuse by govt employee in Jorhat

Titabar, Dec 24: An Adivasi man, on Wednesday, filed an FIR at Titabar Police Station, alleging that he was assaulted, subjected to caste-based abuse and publicly humiliated by a government employee in Jorhat.

The complainant, Bipul Orang, accused Samiran Baruah, an employee of the Jorhat Development Authority, of physically assaulting him, hurling casteist slurs and forcing him to lick Baruah’s feet.

Parts of the alleged incident were captured on video and later circulated widely on social media, drawing sharp condemnation across Assam.

According to the FIR, Orang had worked as Baruah’s personal driver from 2014 until February 2025. He alleged that the assault followed a dispute after he disclosed information about Baruah’s alleged extramarital relationship to Baruah’s wife.

“I was working as his personal driver from 2014 to 2025. His wife was facing domestic violence and asked me about his affair. When I came to know the truth, I told her everything,” Orang told the press, after filing the FIR.

Orang alleged that on February 21, 2025, Baruah and his associates assaulted him. “They abused me, punched me all over my body and used language that degraded my community. I was also forced to sign on a blank paper,” he claimed.

He further alleged that he was dragged to marketplaces, falsely accused of theft and compelled to apologise publicly by licking Baruah’s feet.

Orang also claimed that his personal documents, including his Aadhaar card and PAN card, were seized during the incident.

The complainant said he had earlier approached Madhapur Police Station, but his complaint was not registered.

The FIR was eventually lodged at Titabar Police Station and forwarded to Jorhat Sadar Police Station for further investigation on Wednesday.

“I have filed the FIR today. My community and I are seeking justice,” Orang said, on Wednesday.

The incident has sparked strong reactions from tea tribe organisations, including the All Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA), which warned of protests if swift action is not taken.

ATTSA member Tokeswar Rajput alleged that Orang was subjected to inhuman treatment.

“If Orang had committed any offence, Baruah could have sought legal recourse. Instead, he and his associates abused him behind closed doors in a manner similar to the Taliban,” Rajput said.

Rajput also alleged that police initially refused to register the complaint and demanded the immediate arrest of the accused.

“The FIR has now been forwarded to Jorhat Sadar Police Station. On behalf of the ATTSA Jorhat committee, we will submit a memorandum seeking the arrest of Samiran Baruah and his associates within 24 hours,” he said.

Warning of agitation, Rajput added, “If action is not taken, we will launch protest programmes. The entire tea estate community in Jorhat will unite, as this incident has insulted and humiliated our community.”