A court in Assam on Thursday directed the Golaghat prison authorities to allow a 19-year-old student in jail since May for a Facebook post “in support of” the banned Ulfa (Independent) to appear for her second semester BSc exams from July 16.
Barshashree Buragohain, a mathematics student of DCB Girls College in Jorhat, was arrested on May 18 under Sections 10 and 13 of the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) by the Uriamghat police in upper Assam’s Golaghat district.
She had been accused of posting a message that “seems” to “encourage the public” to support the activities of the Ulfa (I), according to a note the police submitted to the court of a sub-divisional judicial magistrate.
The police had taken suo motu cognisance of her Facebook post in Assamese, whose English translation would be: “A step more towards the sun of independence, we will once again resort to treason.”
Although the post did not mention the Ulfa (I), the rising sun is prominently displayed on the flag of the armed militant organisation whose core demand is a sovereign Assam.
Partha Jyoti Bora, Barshashree’s counsel, told The Telegraph that the Golaghat district and sessions judge, D. Mahanta, had directed the superintendent of the Golaghat district jail to make necessary arrangements so that the student can take her exams on the scheduled dates.
Bora said the petition was written by Barshashree from jail and filed in the court on Thursday.
“The jail authorities have been directed to escort her to the examination centre in Jorhat and back on the days of her exams. She is pursuing her BSc in mathematics. Her papers are scheduled for July 16, 18 and 28 and August 1,” Bora said.
A month ago, Barshashree’s elder brother Arindom had met her in jail with the permission of the sessions court and handed her textbooks to prepare for the exam.
The examination centre in neighbouring Jorhat district is about 50km from Golaghat jail. Barshashree’s home is located in a remote village about 100km from her college in Jorhat. Her father is a farmer and daily wager.
Bora said there was “no” mention of the Ulfa (I) in the Facebook post and such stringent sections “did not” apply in her case.