Assam sees another day of violence, army called in, protests against Gogoi grows

After failing to end violence in the state’s Golaghat district, the Assam government has today finally sought army assistance to quell the growing turmoil and wanted the armed forces to stage flag march. Three people were killed and six injured in police firing today when a mob tried to set ablaze the district deputy commissioner’s office and a police station and targeted a hospital, after which indefinite curfew was clamped in the areas.

The mob was protesting Tuesday’s police action at Rangajon where people were allegedly dragged out of their homes and beaten up.

The police fired tear gas shells to control the mob of over 1,000 people at Erengapara Chariali in Golaghat town marching to the DC’s office and police station to set them on fire.

When the protesters began throwing stones at the police while reaching within 300 metre of the two buildings, the police opened fire killing three persons and injuring six, police said.

Golaghat district superintendent of police Siladitya Chetia told reporters that the police tried to halt the protesters as per prescribed rules but had to perform its duty of controlling the situation when they remained defiant.

“Police had to take action as the mob was targeting public service and public utility buildings and Kushal Konwar Civil Hospital in the town,” Chetia said.

“Also, civilians were injured in stone-pelting by the protestors warranting the firing,” he said.

The incident occured when local TV news channels were beaming live the situation in the area. Some policemen received minor injuries in stone-throwing, sources said. The injured were admitted to the hospital, they said.

Earlier in the day, protestors, armed with bamboo sticks, attacked a police patrol on NH-37 at Moinapara in Golaghat injuring an assistant sub-Inspector and two constables and set ablaze a police vehicle and three trucks, police said.

The protestors told newsmen that people were on Tuesday dragged out of their homes by police and CRPF and fired upon.

Mobs also blocked the highway at Borsapori, Borjuri and Kuruwabahi early this morning with burning tyres and tree branches.

The demonstrators, shouting slogans against Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, said they would continue with their protests against the “unprovoked” police action till the government protected them against attacks from Nagaland.

Gogoi, on his part, accused Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh of failing to provide security along the state’s border with Nagaland and that the Centre was not taking the violence seriously.

“Yes, I am responsible as the state CM for what is happening along the border. But why are you not blaming Rajnath Singh?

The Assam-Nagaland border, he said, was a disputed subject and the area was controlled by the Centre with the help of CRPF, a ’neutral’ force which ‘failed’ to provide security to the people and properties there.

The Centre, he charged, is not taking the issue ‘seriously’.

He condemned the police action against protesters at Rangajan yesterday and said the government will order an inquiry. “A few policemen might be at fault but for that the entire force cannot be blamed. The Assam police is still one of the best police force in the country.”