Guwahati Flyover Birthday Bash: Businessman Gautam Baruah, 13 Others Arrested After Video Goes Viral
Assam Police arrested businessman Gautam Baruah and 13 others after a viral video showed a midnight birthday party on Guwahati's Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu bridge. Four luxury cars were seized. The group faces public nuisance charges for blocking the vital traffic lane with a red carpet, balloons, and fireworks.
The Assam Police have arrested a local businessman and 13 others after a viral video exposed a lavish midnight birthday celebration held on a newly inaugurated bridge over the Brahmaputra River. Law enforcement officials also seized four luxury vehicles linked to the event, which drew widespread public backlash online for obstructing traffic and misusing public infrastructure. The incident took place during the intervening night of June 21 and June 22, on the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu.
Businessman Gautam Baruah reportedly organised the gathering to celebrate his wife’s 42nd birthday. A video of the event, which rapidly circulated on social media, showed a lane of the major thoroughfare blocked off with a red carpet, a balloon arch, pyro lights, and fireworks. Assam Birthday Celebration Viral Video: Businessman Gautam Baruah Arrested After Celebration on Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu.
Businessman Gautam Baruah Arrested After Birthday Celebration on Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu
A Guwahati businessman, Gautam Baruah, turned a busy flyover into a private venue for his wife's birthday, complete with a red carpet, fireworks, and balloons. pic.twitter.com/TEpqpq0u0R
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) June 24, 2026
Police Identify Suspects Through Luxury Vehicles
The Guwahati Traffic Police launched an inquiry on Monday evening, June 22, after discovering the video footage on social media platforms. Investigators successfully traced the organisers by identifying the registration details of a luxury Land Rover Defender visible in the clip. "We verified and traced the vehicle number seen in the video, a Defender," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Jayanta Sarathi Bora. "The owner was identified through that and was called by police," he added.
Following subsequent interrogations by the Bharalumukh police station, authorities arrested Baruah alongside 13 other attendees, including several women. Police also impounded the four high-end vehicles brought to the venue, identified as a Land Rover Defender, a Mercedes-Benz, a Mahindra Scorpio, and a Honda City.
Names of People Arrested in Connection With Assam Birthday Celebration Viral Video
Guwahati flyover b'day: 14 arrested, 4 cars seized https://t.co/dGbTrjf8gw pic.twitter.com/wnidoBUoDi
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) June 24, 2026
Legal Charges and Administrative Stance
The arrested individuals have been formally booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The specific charges registered against the group include sections related to public nuisance, causing danger or obstruction in a public way, and acts endangering the life or personal safety of others. During questioning, Baruah reportedly defended the event by claiming the cake-cutting and setup lasted for only five minutes. However, local authorities rejected the explanation, emphasising that public safety laws apply uniformly regardless of the duration. "People are expected to exercise their civic sense in public spaces," DCP Bora stated. "Celebrating a birthday on a strategic road or bridge for whatever the duration is unacceptable," Bora added.
Background and Public Infrastructure Context
The location of the incident, the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, is a vital strategic infrastructure project constructed at an estimated cost of INR 3,030 crore. The bridge spans the Brahmaputra River to connect Guwahati with North Guwahati and was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2026. The viral video triggered substantial public criticism among residents and netizens, who condemned the display as an entitled misuse of critical commuter transit lanes. Legal proceedings against the 14 accused are currently ongoing as local police review additional surveillance footage from the bridge.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 24, 2026 05:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
