Adivasis protest against firing in Tinsukia

Dibrugarh/Guwahati: Hundreds of adivasis, armed with bows and arrows, marched on the national highway in Tinsukia district on Thursday in protest against two incidents of firing in the district on Wednesday night.
Members of a newly-floated militant outfit of the Moran community are said to be behind the two incidents. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit neighbouring Dibrugarh district on Friday.
Assam Police (special branch) additional director general Pallab Bhattacharya said fresh instructions have been issued to security forces and police to contain the situation in Tinsukia and avoid further escalation of tension ahead of Modi's visit.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to dedicate the Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Ltd (BCPL) gas cracker project and address a party rally in Dibrugarh before opening the South Asian Games in Guwahati in the evening.
"We have reports about a new outfit, Moran Tiger Force, floated a week ago. We also have clues about Paresh Baruah's involvement. The situation in Tinsukia district is tense and we have issued orders to bring the situation under control so that it does not spill over to Dibrugarh," added Bhattacharya.
The first incident took place at Ultapul near Digboi town at 6.45 pm on Wednesday. Three persons riding a car stopped in front of a paan shop owned by one Rameswar Majhi. Alighting from the car, they first asked for cigarettes. Suddenly, one of them whipped out a pistol and fired at the shopkeeper, missing him narrowly. The trio boarded the vehicle and sped off but not before firing again. No one was injured.
The second incident took place at Doomdooma in front of the residence of tea community leader and former Congress MLA Durga Bhumij at 7.40 pm. According to information, some unidentified persons travelling in a car opened fired near the entrance gate of Bhumji's home before speeding off.
Within an hour of the incident, local journalists received text messages from Moran Tiger Force which claimed responsibility for the two incidents. The outfit issued a warning to the tea community and Hindi-speaking people, asking them to leave Tinsukia within six months. It asked political parties not to field any tea community candidates from the district in the election.
Tea tribe leaders said Thursday's mass rally was in protest against the attack targeting adivasis and the threat issued by Moran Tiger Force.
Tinsukia SP Mugdhajyoti Mahanta denied the presence of any militant outfit by that name. He claimed that it was the handiwork of miscreants. The president of All Assam Moran Students' Union, Arun Jyoti Moran, also said there was no organization by the name.
On Thursday, life was disrupted in Tinsukia district during a 48-hour bandh called by All Assam Moran Students' Union ahead of Modi's visit to the state on Friday. The group called the bandh in protest against the delay in conferring ST status to the Moran community.