Several protesters injured in police action in Majuli

Guwahati, Jun 30 (UNI) At least 60 people,including two local journalists, were injured as police opened fire and caned villagers who called an indefinite road blockade in the world's largest riverine island of Majuli, to protest the government's 'inaction' towards the perennial erosion problem.

Majuli Sub-Divisional Police Officer Nabajit Mahanta said efforts of the subdivisional administration failed to yield any result, and a CRPF inspector and the PSO of SDO(Civil) were seriously injured as the protesters pelted stones at the administrative officials and security forces who arrived at the site for negotiation.

The police and CRPF personnel resorted to blank fire and lathicharge to disperse the irate mob.

At least 60 protesters, including activists of the student bodies and a couple of local journalists, were injured in the police action.

Chaos prevailed in the entire riverine island area as the protesters ran for cover and security forces deployed to prevent any flare up of the incident.

Over 2,000 protesters, led by activists of the All Asom Students Union (AASU) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), gathered near the Bengenati Xatra this morning and blocked the main road to register their protest.

The local units of the AASU and AJYCP have called a two-day Majuli bandh from tomorrow in protest against the incident.

Erosion has posed a serious threat to the island, which was unsuccessfully nominated by the government for the UNESCO's World Heritage tag last year.

At places the erosion is so severe that the Brahmaputra waters would wash away some of the major roads of the island in a couple of years' time.

Yesterday, the AASU had hectic deliberations with the Brahmaputra Board regarding the perrenial problem faced by the historic island.

The student body caught the Board on wrong foot for 'failing' to initiate proper preventive measures, and set a deadline of seven days for the Board's official to visit the place and work out a viable action plan.

UNI