Baghjan: A large number of villagers, tea garden workers, and local organization representatives gathered at Assam’s Baghjan Police Station on Monday to protest the proposed transfer of Greater Baghjan to Barekuri Police Station.

They warned of a wider shutdown if the decision is not withdrawn.

The protesters demanded that Baghjan and nearby areas remain under Baghjan Police Station. They said the proposed change would make it difficult for residents to seek police assistance, especially elderly people and women at night and during the flood season.

They said Barekuri Police Station is around 20 km from several parts of Baghjan. They also referred to the area’s Oil India Limited installations, oil rigs, tea gardens and factories, as well as its proximity to the ecologically sensitive Dibru-Saikhowa landscape.

The dispute follows the Assam government’s August 2026 exercise to redraw police station jurisdictions according to Assembly constituency boundaries. The government said the change followed the delimitation of Assembly constituencies and was intended to keep each police station within a single constituency.

The Election Commission’s final delimitation documents place Baghjan Gaon and parts of Baghjan under the newly configured 85-Makum Assembly constituency. The 2026 Assembly election was later held for the Makum constituency.

Residents, however, said the administrative changes should not make it harder for people to access police and emergency services.

Doomdooma Co-District Superintendent of Police Diganta Dutta reached the spot as the protest continued and spoke with the protesters.

The protesters submitted a memorandum through the local administration to the Tinsukia Deputy Commissioner, Senior Superintendent of Police and the Assam government.

They warned that if the decision is not reconsidered, tea factories, Oil India oilfield operations and transport services across Greater Baghjan could be shutdown.