Three NPP workers suffer serious injuries in alleged BJP attack after Dima Hasao polls

Three volunteers of the National People's Party (NPP) sustained serious injuries after being allegedly attacked by BJP workers in Assam's Dima Hasao district on April 9, hours after polling concluded for the hill district.

The attack took place at Warigiding village in Langting when the NPP workers — Monendra Haflongbar, Janarjit Naiding, and Jeetujit Thaosen — were returning home after casting their votes at Gangdangbra Polling Station. According to an FIR lodged by NPP candidate Daniel Langthasa, the attack occurred at around 7:30 pm on Thursday.

The complainant named three accused — Dolin Ardao, Deep Ardao, and Putom Ardao— all residents of Gangdangbra, Langting. The accused allegedly set upon the NPP workers with iron rods, hammers, and sharp knives, and also damaged their vehicle during the assault.

The injured were first rushed to Langting Hospital, but given their deteriorating condition, doctors referred all three to Haflong Civil Hospital in the early hours of Friday, April 10. One of the three, whose condition turned critical, was subsequently sent to Guwahati for advanced treatment.

Langthasa filed a formal complaint at Haflong Sadar Police Station on Friday night, demanding immediate registration of the case and strict legal action against the accused. He also sought police protection for his party workers. A mobile phone recovered from one of the persons of interest was handed over to the Langting Police Station to aid the investigation, according to the complaint.

Speaking to the media, Langthasa said he had personally witnessed election-related violence in West Bengal and Tripura, but had never expected to see similar incidents in Dima Hasao. "Such trends had never been seen in Dima Hasao district before," he said, adding that the attack was a direct consequence of the BJP sensing electoral defeat. "Knowing their defeat is certain, the BJP has orchestrated such incidents out of frustration," he alleged.

Langthasa further claimed that BJP workers had been intimidating NPP volunteers and disrupting their campaign activities throughout the election period. He acknowledged that his workers had grown agitated following the attack, but said he had personally stepped in to restrain them from retaliating.

The police are yet to make any arrests in connection with the case. The incident has cast a shadow over what authorities had described as a largely peaceful polling day in the district.