Guwahati: The clamour for an impartial inquiry into the untimely demise of Joshita Das, a 26-year-old junior engineer with the Public Works Department (PWD), is gaining significant momentum across Assam. Various organisations and political parties are vociferously demanding a thorough investigation, citing allegations of deep-rooted corruption and harassment within the government department.
On Sunday, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee joined the growing chorus, staging a protest across Assam including in Darrang district of Mangaldai by holding the ruling BJP-led state government directly accountable for Das’s death. Protesters alleged that “rampant corruption and systemic harassment” within the PWD pushed the young engineer, who was posted in Bongaigaon, to take her own life. They further condemned the government’s “extreme negligence” and its failure to ensure the safety of women in the workplace.
Rijumoni Talukdar, President of Darrang Congress, stated, “This is not just about Joshita. If this continues, many more honest officers will fall victim to such a toxic system. We demand strict punishment for those responsible.”
The demand for a comprehensive probe intensified following the arrest of Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Aminul Islam and Executive Engineer Dinesh Medhi in Bongaigaon on July 23. Their arrests followed the recovery of a suicide note left behind by Das. The 26-year-old, a native of Guwahati’s Silpukhuri locality, was discovered deceased at her rented accommodation in Bongaigaon on July 22, with initial reports suggesting suicide. In the note, Joshita reportedly alleged extreme work-related pressure and explicitly named Islam and Medhi as being responsible for her ordeal.
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