Guwahati: A 45-year-old protester, Advocate Mridul Islam from Boko in South Kamrup, lost his life during the Congress' "Raj Bhawan Chalo" protest on Wednesday.

Mridul Islam, a member of the State Congress Legal Cell, reportedly collapsed following a confrontation with police and later succumbed at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

The protest, organized by the Congress party, aimed to highlight issues such as the state government’s implementation of smart meters, the Adani scandal, and the "One Nation, One Election" proposal. Thousands of supporters gathered near the Raj Bhavan, raising slogans and demanding immediate action on these matters.

Tensions rose when protesters broke through police barricades in an attempt to march towards the Raj Bhavan.

The police, in an effort to control the situation, used tear gas, which led to chaotic scenes. It was during this clash that Mridul Islam reportedly fell unconscious.

Guwahati Commissioner of Police, Diganta Barah, confirmed that Mridul Islam, a resident of Boko, was already unwell prior to the protest and did not sustain any external injuries.

"During our initial investigation, we found that Islam was already sick. After his associates learned of his condition, they took him to Wintrobe hospital in Ambari, from where he was referred to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where he was declared dead," Barah said.

The Commissioner confirmed that the body had been sent for a post-mortem, with the cause of death to be confirmed after the report.

Commissioner Barah also added that the Congress party did not seek permission for the protest.

“The members of Congress did not take or received any permission to stage a protest in the city. The workers and supporters assembled at a field near Uzan Bazar, close to the Raj Bhawan. We had placed a barricade to control the crowd,” Barah said.

According to Barah, when the protesters crossed the barricades and advanced towards the Raj Bhawan, the police refrained from using force.

“Despite the protesters crossing the first and second barricades, we refrained from using extreme measures. There was no lathi charge or tear gas. We only rolled in a few tear gas shells without firing them. The protesters were stopped at the third barricade, and eventually, the protest was called off," he said.

However, hours after Barah's statement, the Congress party released an application addressed to the Commissioner of Police, claiming they had sought permission for the protest.

Earlier in the day, the incident occurred during a Congress demonstration that started around 11 am, with protesters chanting slogans like "BJP go back," "Adani, down down," and "Remove smart meters".

Thousands of Congress supporters had gathered at a field near the Raj Bhavan to participate in the nationwide "Raj Bhavan Chalo" protest, voicing opposition on issues ranging from smart meters and corruption allegations against the Adani Group to the Manipur issue and the proposed "One Nation, One Election" Bill.

Later, several senior Congress leaders, including Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, APCC President Bhupen Borah, and senior leader Ripun Bora, were taken into custody. Multiple protesters were also reportedly detained and transported to an undisclosed police station.

The protest, which had drawn a large crowd, ended with tension and confusion over the cause of Islam's death, raising concerns among party leaders and supporters. The Congress has demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.

The Congress has strongly condemned the police's actions, alleging excessive use of force against what they described as a peaceful protest.

Senior leaders have called for an independent investigation into the events that led to Mridul Islam's death.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage among the public and political circles, with opposition leaders demanding accountability and justice for the deceased advocate.