Violence and arson continued to rock Assam on Tuesday with a 12-hour bandh called by the All-Assam Minority Students’ Union turning violent in Barpeta, Goalpara, Sonitpur and Nagaon districts, outside the Bodoland Territorial Council, resulting in the death of a 55-year-old person and injuries to 30 others. Another person was killed and five others injured in sporadic incidents of violence in trouble-torn BTC area on Monday night.
Violence broke out at various places when minority students tried to enforce a 12-hour Assam bandh. The administration was compelled to clamp curfew in Tezpur (in Sonitpur district) when protesters set the circle officer’s vehicle on fire and attacked the officer in charge of Tezpur police station.
The clashes that started in BTC spilled into neighbouring Barpeta district when bandh supporters tried to enforce the shutdown in Baltola area of Barpeta Road. Locals who refused to shut down their shops were attacked by a mob that killed a 55-year-old person and set about 25 houses on fire.
Residents of the area expressed deep anguish at the role of the district police, which acted only after bandh supporters left the place. An eyewitness said the incident took place in broad daylight close to the Barpeta Road police station.
The students’ union has called a 12-hour Assam bandh to protest the ongoing violence. This came a day after Assam was paralysed following a shutdown called by the Bajrang Dal. Bandh supporters, in an obvious attempt to enforce the shutdown, also burnt tyres and stoned vehicles in different parts of Assam.
Security sources said the police opened fire on bandh supporters at Goalpara, Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Nagaon, and Sibsagar. The police took more than 300 protesters into preventive custody across the state.
Schools, colleges and educational institutions, commercial establishments and financial institutions remained closed with attendance in government offices thin.
Meanwhile, one person was killed and five others injured in sporadic incidents of violence in trouble-torn BTC area on Monday night.
Police said that first incident took place in Phumti Village, under Salakati police outpost, but no casualty was reported from there. In another incident, one person was killed and four others injured when miscreants opened fire in Pakritola village under Fakiragram. Some armed attackers also opened fire at Tupimari, under Gossaigaon sub-division of the district. Security sources suspected the involvement of Bodo rebels who hurled a grenade and opened fire in minority villages that had not been affected by the violence till then.