Former panchayat leader and associates apprehended for January 25 attack on hotelier brothers
Police have arrested three individuals, including the prime accused Gopi Deb, in connection with a violent assault that rocked the Katlicherra area three weeks ago. The arrests, made on Saturday, have brought a measure of relief to local residents who had previously expressed concern over perceived police inaction.
The case stems from a severe incident on January 25, when a group allegedly led by Deb—a former panchayat leader and liquor merchant—stormed the home of local businessmen Rinku and Tinku Chowdhury. The attack, which reportedly involved sharp weapons, left both brothers with serious injuries.
According to sources, the violence was triggered by a minor financial dispute earlier that day at Rinku Chowdhury’s hotel. The disagreement escalated into a verbal altercation, which allegedly prompted a retaliatory strike later that night. Around 10:30 PM, Gopi Deb, accompanied by his sons Anupam and Vishal Deb, and an associate named Bapan Deb, raided the Chowdhury residence in the Nath Basti area.
The assault was particularly brutal for Rinku Chowdhury, whose condition was critical enough to require transfer from Silchar Medical College Hospital to a facility in Guwahati for advanced medical care. His younger brother, Tinku Chowdhury, was also injured in the attack.
Despite Tinku Chowdhury filing an FIR at the Katlicherra police station the following morning and explicitly naming the accused, the victims’ family had alleged that police were slow to act. The delay in arrests had caused significant anxiety and panic within the community. Saturday’s breakthrough, however, marks a major step forward in the investigation.
The accused are currently in custody as legal proceedings commence.