Assam: Private tutor alleges assault by student's parents over tuition fee in Sivasagar

A young private tutor has alleged of being physically assaulted by the parents of her student in Assam's Sivasagar district. 

According to sources, the incident, occurred at Amguri Road, after a dispute over pending tuition fees that escalated into a violent confrontation. The accused, identified as Sunil Thakur and his wife, Poonam Devi, reportedly attacked the tutor when she demanded her overdue payment.

The conflict began when the visited the couple’s residence to collect her fees after they had delayed the payment date from October 12 to October 14. Recounting the incident, Purabi explained, "I went to collect my tuition fees, but they kept postponing the payment. Sunil asked me to wait at his shop, and after some time, Poonam arrived. She immediately started verbally abusing me and, without warning, began hitting me with her sandals. She even tried to attack me with a scissor, but a passerby intervened. Shortly afterward, Sunil grabbed me by the neck, leaving me injured."

Following the assault, Purabi sought help from Namti police, who took her to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. However, she alleged that the police exerted pressure on her to withdraw the complaint. "The officers claimed there would be complications during the investigation because I was unable to write my own complaint due to my injuries," Purabi stated. She added that a member of the Village Defence Party (VDP), identified as Asad, drafted an application and obtained her signatures on it.

The incident sparked outrage, with the Asomiya Yuva Mancha accusing the police of favoring the alleged attackers. In a show of solidarity with the victim, the organization issued a stern ultimatum to the Namti police, demanding the arrest of Sunil Thakur and Poonam Devi within two hours. They warned of "severe consequences" if the authorities failed to take immediate action. The Asomiya Yuva Mancha has also formally lodged a complaint at the Namti police station, naming both Sunil and Poonam as the accused.