Three feared dead in police firing in Assam
Guwahati, Jan 2 (UNI) At least three persons were feared dead in police firing on a mob which was trying to enforce a road blockade in Assam's Goalpara district today.
Goalpara Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhijit Borah said police had to resort to firing to disperse the supporters of a road blockade under Lakhipur police station of the district.
The Aarabha Samanay Raksha Manch (Non-Rabha coordination committee), Goalpara, had called a 12-hour road blockade in the district to protest the scrapping of Panchayat polls in the Rabha-Hasong autonomous council areas, which also has a sizeable non-Rabha population.
As the blockade supporters tried to enforce the blockade, police intervened to disperse the crowd.
''The magistrate on duty first ordered lathicharge and then firing in the air. But when these measures failed to contain the agitators, police had to resort to firing,'' the SP said.
At least three civilians were feared dead and the injured included senior officials of the Lakhipur police station, besides the agitators, he said.
The exact figure of casualties could not be ascertained yet, the SP added.
Earlier, the agitators had also set ablaze a couple of police vehicles.
Top district officials rushed to the spot to control the situation.
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