Curfew in Upper Asom after clashes between ULFA and general public

Guwahati, May 13 (UNI) Indefinite curfew has been imposed in three police station areas of Doomdooma, Dholla and Kakopathar of Upper Asom today, following clashes between ULFA supporters and the general public.

Official sources here said the ULFA-backed protestors, who had been blocking the National Highway for the past seven days, following the death of a farmer, were pelted stones at by angry tea garden labourers who were unable to get food supplies, following the road blockade.

Upper Asom Commissioner Hemanta Narzary confirmed the curfew and said at least five people were injured and situation may escalate further.

The road blockade on the National Highway has created food shortage in Arunachal Pradesh as well as Sadiya areas of Asom.

The blockade began with the killing of one Buddheswar Moran by the Army on May 5. He was first declared as the ULFA leader but later the Army was forced to retract and apologise, while admitting that it was an accidental killing and he was innocent.

This had led to the indefinite blockade of the National Highway.

The state government have ordered an inquiry nto the matter and released compensation for next of kin. Cremation was also arranged but the ULFA backed protestors continued to block the National Highway demanding visit of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

The seven-day blockade had brought traffic beyond Doomdooma town to a grinding halt, cutting the supply chain to the nearby tea garden as well as two major districts of Arunachal Pradesh.

''We tried to persuade them and did not want to go for confrontation,'' said Asom Government Spokesman Dr Himanta Biswa Sharma, further admitting that he was constantly in touch with agitators and trying to find an amicable solution as Mr Gogoi was not in a position to visit the spot at this moment.

However, this afternoon all hell broke loose when hundreds of tea garden labourers from surrounding areas attacked the 300-odd agitators blocking the National Highway. They pelted stones and forced their way into the blockade zone. Apprehending more violence the Tinsukia district administration declared an indefinite curfew, said District Magistrate A K Afsar Hazarika.

The army had already started making some headway and the civil authorities were trying to start supplies to Arunachal from tomorrow morning to ease the food crisis.

UNI