The police in Assam’s Sribhumi district arrested 13 people on Sunday after a violent confrontation injured members of a Bihu troupe. The violence erupted during a Durga Puja idol immersion procession hosted by the local Hindustan Club. Videos circulating online show performers with visible injuries and bamboo sticks being used in the scuffle.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reacted swiftly to the footage, declaring that an attack on Bihu performers would not be tolerated. "Bihu is the soul of Assam, our pride and our identity," he wrote on X, ordering the Director General of Police to take immediate action. The DGP confirmed that a case was registered at Sribhumi Police Station and that the 13 arrested individuals had been forwarded to court.
Early reports suggested the dispute stemmed from objections to Assamese songs playing in the Barak Valley, though police have not yet verified the precise sequence of events. Investigators are currently working to identify and apprehend others allegedly involved in the incident. The specific charges filed against the 13 defendants remain under review as the probe continues to establish the full extent of the confrontation.