In jail for penning ‘pro-ULFA’ poem, Assam college girl to miss exam
The Hindu
The High Court sought the case diary on May 21, five days after her degree second-semester exam begins
Human rights defenders have appealed to the Assam government to release a college girl, jailed about two months ago for allegedly penning a pro-ULFA(I) poem, in order to let her appear for her examination.
ULFA(I) expands to the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) that wants secession of Assam. It is headed by Paresh Baruah, who operates out of Myanmar and China.
Barshashree Buragohain, a resident of Jorhat area of Eastern Assam and pursuing mathematics at the town’s DCB College, was picked up by the police on May 17 from Uriamghat in the adjoining Golaghat district for posting “anti-national” poems on social media.
“She had gone to her friend’s house to attend a family function. She was to have been released a day later after counselling during which the police made her delete all her poems supposedly supporting the ULFA(I),” her brother Arindam Buragohain told The Hindu on Wednesday.
“Since she was new to Facebook, we don’t know what exactly she wrote. The FIR says the police found two lines of a poem promoting treason and arrested her on May 18 under two sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,” he said.
One section prescribes imprisonment for up to two years with fine and the other up to seven years with fine for advocating, abetting, advising or inciting the commission of any unlawful activity.
Two regional parties – Raijor Dal and Assam Jatiya Parishad – have asked the district authorities to release the young girl who would be unable to appear for her second semester examination.
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