Udalguri, June 23: A farmer from Rowta in Assam’s Udalguri district allegedly succumbed to prolonged mental distress and financial hardship after falling victim to an alleged job recruitment scam involving a group of brokers.
The deceased, Ramesh Deka, was a resident of Rowta under the Mazbat Assembly constituency. Family members alleged that he had been subjected to severe psychological pressure after losing substantial amounts of money to three middlemen who had promised to secure him a government job.
According to the family, Rahimuddin alias Kismat, Ahmad Ali and Korban Ali, all residents of Besimari in Darrang district, allegedly collected money from Deka on several occasions by assuring him of a Grade-IV post in the Social Welfare Department. The accused were also alleged to have invoked the name of a close associate of Assam minister Pijush Hazarika to gain his confidence.
Deka’s daughter claimed that the trio repeatedly sought money under the pretext of facilitating the appointment, subjecting her father to continuous stress. The family alleged that the brokers extracted nearly Rs 5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh from him. In order to raise the money, Deka reportedly sold eight bighas of agricultural land that had been his primary source of livelihood.
After realising that he had allegedly been cheated, the family lodged a complaint at Rowta Police Station around two years ago. Based on the complaint, the three accused were arrested and subsequently sent to jail.
Relatives said the loss of his savings, mounting debts and the sale of his farmland left Deka in deep emotional distress. They stated that he had been struggling with severe mental pressure for a prolonged period.
According to family members, Deka later suffered cardiac failure and died at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.
The bereaved family has appealed to the government for assistance and demanded strict action against the accused. They alleged that the brokers misused the name of a senior minister while promising a government job and thereby brought disrepute to him.
