An Adivasi man was made to lick the feet of a government officer in Jorhat after being brutally assaulted, abused with casteist slurs and publicly humiliated. The incident, involving an employee of the Jorhat Development Authority, has triggered widespread anger across Assam and exposed serious questions about police inaction and the conduct of the BJP-led state government.
The victim, Bipul Orang, belongs to the tea tribe community. He was seen in the video being publicly humiliated and forced to lick the feet of Samiran Baruah, an employee of the Jorhat Development Authority. The footage leaves little to interpretation. It clearly shows abuse of power, open humiliation and complete disregard for human dignity.
Orang has filed an FIR stating that he worked as Baruah’s caretaker and personal driver for more than ten years. According to him, the violence began after he informed Baruah’s wife about the officer’s extramarital relationship. Instead of addressing the issue legally or personally, Orang says Baruah chose violence, using his position and influence to crush a man from a marginalised community. 
As per the complaint, Orang was brutally assaulted on February 21, punched and abused repeatedly, dragged to marketplaces, falsely labelled a thief and then forced to apologise publicly by licking Baruah’s feet. He was also made to sign blank papers, while his Aadhaar and PAN cards were seized. Orang has further stated that his family was harassed and that his child has been left traumatised by the incident.
What has angered people even more is the response or lack of it from the authorities. Despite the video being in the public domain, Orang’s initial attempt to lodge a complaint was allegedly rejected. The FIR was finally accepted at Titabar Police Station and later forwarded to Jorhat Sadar Police Station which raises questions about why immediate action was not taken when evidence was already visible to the entire state.
The incident has put the BJP government in Assam under intense scrutiny. For years, the government has spoken loudly about justice, equality and protection of marginalised communities. But when an Adivasi man is made to lick a government officer’s feet on camera, and the system still moves slowly, those claims ring hollow.
The silence of the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government has only deepened public anger. No strong condemnation, no swift suspension, no immediate arrest; only delay.
As of Wednesday evening, no arrest had been reported. The video continues to circulate.
