peepl-small

Assam Bandh evokes mixed response

PUBLISHED:

The Assam bandh called by a Bengali group named the Bengali Yuva Chatra Federation to protest the killing of five persons by unidentified gunmen at Dhola in Tinsukia district on Thursday night has evoked mixed response with the shutdown evoking very little response in eastern Assam districts but crippled normal life at Hojai, Lanka, Lumding, Dhubri, and the Barak Valley.

Bandh supporters resorted to vandalism at many places with police detaining 715 picketers (till around 1 pm) so as to ensure that law and order doesn’t deteriorate in the wake of the bandh that has now been relaxed by 12 hours.

A mother and her minor child were injured at Samaguri in Nagaon district after bandh supporters pelted stones at the car they were travelling. Irate supporters also pelted stones at various other cars forcing people to detain more than 25 picketers.

Bandh supporters also attacked a vehicle carrying a marriage party at Barpeta Road while they were on their way to Tinsukia to solemnize wedding rituals.

Although there was no impact of the shutdown in Guwahati with offices, shops and business houses functioning like any other day and buses and private vehicles also plying normally, a section of bandh supporters tried to disrupt movement of traffic at Kalapahar locality early in the morning.

Assam Police detained bandh supporters and picketers at various places with extra security deployment made to foil attempts to disrupt law and order.

The bandh was, however, near total in the Barak Valley with shops and business houses downing shutters and offices also registering thin attendences.

Meanwhile, North Karimganj Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha was detained by police for trying to disrupt Gunotsav programme.

On the other hand, protesters blocked trains at Hojai and Lanka with the Up Jan Shatabdi Express & Avadh Assam Express trains stranded at Hojai while the Kanchenjunga Express was stranded at Lanka railway station till around noon before the tracks were cleared of supporters.

RELATED ARTICLES