Invited for Bihu, then attacked. What went wrong at Assam's Puja event?

An 11-member Bihu troupe invited to perform at a Durga Puja event in Assam's Bengali-majority Barak Valley was allegedly attacked over Assamese songs. At least 17 people have been arrested. The incident has revived concerns about the region's decades-old linguistic divide, with people promptly working to not let this hit the fragile Barak-Brahmaputra harmony.

In Short

• Bihu troupe attacked over Assamese songs at Assam Puja event
• Police arrest 17 people, first 13 accused granted bail after assault
• Attack revives fears over Barak Valley's old Assamese-Bengali divide

An 11-member Bihu troupe was invited to perform at a Durga Puja celebration in Assam's Sribhumi (formerly Karimganj), but the festivities ended in violence. The artistes were attacked after a group allegedly objected to Assamese songs being played in the Bengali-majority town in the soutrhern Barak Valley. The performers suffered injuries, while some traditional musical instruments were damaged or taken away, according to reports.

The incident has triggered outrage across Assam. Bihu, a folk dance, is among Assam's most-visible cultural symbols. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has called the incident "deeply disturbing and unfortunate". The police have arrested 17 people in connection with the assault. And a team from Barak Valley has gone to meet those attacked with message for harmony.

The incident on Saturday has revived concerns about the decades-old Assamese-Bengali linguistic divide in Barak Valley, which witnessed a bloody language movement in 1961 but has since seen decades of peaceful coexistence between the communities. Several people from Assam took to social media to say that such incidents must not widen the divide between Barak and Brahmaputra. And that a small group's actions shouldn't come to depict an entire area or community.

The attack on Bihu performers, who represent one of Assam's most cherished cultural traditions, has sparked outrage, with several student bodies alleging that it was Assamese identity that was targeted within the state itself.

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has condemned the attack and ordered police action. Student organisations in Assam have demanded punishment for those responsible. The first 13 accused were reported to have secured bail, even as police subsequently arrested four more people, police in Assam's Sribhumi said on Monday.

The Assam Congress questioned CM Sarma over the swift bail granted to the first 13 accused, asking, "What sections of the law were invoked for attacking the soul of Assam, Mr Himanta Biswa, that the attackers were granted bail so quickly?"

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BIHU TROUPE IN KARIMGANJ?

The incident occurred on Saturday, October 24, during an idol immersion procession organised by Hindustan Club in Sribhumi (formerly Karimganj). According to an October 26 report in The Times of India, an 11-member Bihu troupe had been invited to perform at the celebration.

India Today NE reported that a group allegedly objected to Assamese songs being played in Bengali-dominated Barak Valley. The group confronted the performers, saying Assamese songs should not be played there, before the confrontation turned violent.

The artistes were beaten, and a dhol and pepa (traditional Bihu instruments) were damaged, according to Utpal Sarma, president of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU). Some instruments were reportedly taken away, while a gold chain belonging to a young performer was also allegedly stolen, reported India Today NE.

The allegations concerning the songs, damage and theft have not yet been established by police.

A separate India Today NE report noted that the confrontation arose from a misunderstanding during Hindustan Club's final immersion procession. The club had itself organised performances by Bihu artistes and local dancers. The police arrested 13 members of the Hindustan Club, which had organised the procession.

POLICE ARREST 17 PEOPLE, 13 GET BAIL

Police reached the Hindustan Club premises on Bipin Pal Road at around 1 am on Sunday after receiving information about the incident.

Investigators reportedly seized the truck used for transporting the idol, a generator, sound equipment and the CPU of a camera installed at the Puja pandal.

Following the incident, Assam Police registered a case at Sribhumi Police Station.

Director General of Police Harmeet Singh confirmed on Monday that 13 people had initially been arrested and produced before a court. The Times of India subsequently reported that all 13 were granted bail.

In a further update on Monday, Sribhumi Police announced four additional arrests in connection with the attack on the Adarkona Bihu troupe, taking the total to 17.

The police said further investigation was underway.

HIMANTA SARMA, SONOWAL CONDEMN ATTACK

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condemned the incident and directed the DGP to take immediate action.

"The news of an attack on a Bihu troupe in Sribhumi is deeply disturbing and unfortunate. Bihu is the soul of Assam, our pride and our identity. We will never tolerate any insult to our culture and heritage," Sarma said.

Union Minister and former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also condemned the assault. "Any assault on our artists and hostility towards our heritage is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated," Sonowal said.

The Assam Tribune reported that AASU and the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) demanded accountability over the incident.

AASU's Sarma described the attack as "unforgivable" and demanded action against those responsible. He questioned how Assamese songs could be opposed within Assam itself and raised concerns about the security of Assamese-speaking people.

WHAT IS THE BARAK-BRAHMAPUTRA LINGUISTIC RIFT?

Barak Valley, comprising Cachar, Hailakandi and Sribhumi districts, has a predominantly Bengali-speaking population, unlike the Assamese-majority Brahmaputra Valley. The region's linguistic sensitivities date back decades.

In 1960, Assam adopted legislation making Assamese the state's official language, triggering protests among Bengali speakers who feared the loss of their linguistic rights. On May 19, 1961, police opened fire on language protesters at Silchar railway station, killing 11 people. The movement subsequently secured official recognition for Bengali in Barak Valley.

"Political elements may also exploit this to fuel a rift between the two valleys. Justice must prevail before tensions escalate further," wrote a person from Assam on X.

Silchar-based writer and screenwriter Biswatosh Sinha condemned the attack on the Bihu troupe, calling it unacceptable.

"No one has the right to intimidate artists or dictate which culture can be celebrated where," he wrote on X on Monday. Sinha said culture should unite people rather than become a reason for violence and demanded strict legal action against those responsible. "Assam belongs to all of us. Respect for every culture must go both ways," he added.

The attack incident thus revives an important part of the region's collective memory. However, Assamese and Bengali communities have continued to coexist peacefully, though incidents like the attack on the Bihu troupe threaten to disturb the harmony.

- Ends