Assam: Goalpara youth arrested for making obscene remarks against women in video post

In a disturbing incident that sparked outrage in Goalpara, Assam, a young man named Abdul Kashem Ali has been arrested for allegedly making an obscene video targeting Goddess Durga and the women devotees present during the idol immersion ceremony. 

The arrest followed an intense protest by around 300 people who gheraoed the Mornai police station, demanding swift action against the accused.

The incident took place shortly after the peaceful immersion of Goddess Durga idols across the state, where thousands of devotees had gathered to participate in the visarjan ritual. Despite the usual reverence and harmony associated with the occasion, the community was left shocked when a video surfaced on social media, showing Kashem Ali, a resident of Dubapara Disappearchar under the Mornai police jurisdiction, making derogatory remarks aimed at Goddess Durga and the women devotees. The video quickly went viral, drawing widespread condemnation.

Concerned citizens promptly lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at the Mornai police station, urging law enforcement to take action against Ali. However, frustration grew among the public as no immediate arrest was made, prompting hundreds to gather outside the police station in protest, demanding justice and decrying the inaction of the authorities.

The escalating situation led the police, with assistance from local residents, to locate and arrest Kashem Ali at his residence. Following the arrest, community members voiced their grievances, emphasizing that the content of the video was not only disrespectful to the deity but also offensive to women, thus aggravating sentiments across religious and social lines.

Police have urged the public to maintain peace and harmony and appealed to citizens to avoid communal tensions in light of the incident. The police assured the public that the matter would be dealt with sternly and that steps would be taken to ensure justice, with the aim of setting an example to deter such acts in the future.

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