NEW DELHI (Bernama): Political parties expressed outrage over a brazen mob attack on an Indian parliament member in the northeastern state of Assam.
Rakibul Hussain, 61, who belongs to the Congress party, was attacked on Thursday while he was travelling with his son Tanzil Hussain to attend a party meeting in the Nagaon district.
Rakibul was elected to the Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Parliament, in 2024 by a record margin of more than one million votes from Assam's Dhubri constituency.
The parliament member came under attack in a market in broad daylight despite the local police's special branch being given prior information about his movement, said Debabrata Saikia, leader of the opposition in the Assam state assembly.
A group of Congress party workers in Assam held a protest against the mob assault.
Rakibul's personal security officer (PSO) fired warning shots to disperse the crowd as a man tried repeatedly to hit the politician with a cricket bat, according to local reports and videos posted on social media.
"He was on his way to his home district to attend a programme when he was attacked by some people.
"They beat him and pulled him down from the motorcycle. His PSO was attacked. We condemn it," Assam-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) party general secretary Rafiqul Islam said.
Rafiqul Islam demanded an investigation and the arrest of those involved in the mob attack. - Bernama
