Tezpur: A senior doctor at a tea garden in Biswanath district of Assam was allegedly assaulted by a group of people after garden management tried to implement COVID-19 protocols under its jurisdiction.

According to police officials, the incident took place at Majuligarh tea garden on Wednesday evening when its senior doctor Basanta Goswami was going for a walk within the compound.

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Police said that the garden management on the previous day asked some shop owners within the campus to close their outlets after 12 noon, the time to pull down their shutters as per the restrictions imposed by the government.

'These shop owners were not following the SOP in earlier days. So, the district administration asked the garden to implement the guidelines. When they tried, the shop owners thought Dr Goswami is behind this as it is related to COVID- 19,' a police officer said.

In the evening, some of them went to the garden office to enquire about the issue and saw Goswami taking an evening walk in the premises.

'They then started manhandling him. But, Dr Goswami's staff at his residence rushed to the spot and rescued him. He sustained minor injuries,' police said.

A case has been registered at Biswanath police station and a probe has been launched to nab the culprits, an official said.

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