Dimasa bandh disrupts life in southern Assam

Silchar, Nov 6 (UNI) Life was today disrupted at the North Cachar Hills district and in some pockets of the Barak Valley in southern Assam following a 36-hour bandh call by the All Dimasa Students Union (ADSU).

Official sources said barring some minor incidents of violence, the bandh passed off peacefully so far.

The bandh registered total response at the North Cachar Hills district and Dimasa-dominated areas of Barak Valley.

The bandh supporters blocked National Highways 44, 53, 54, VIP road, connecting Silchar town with Kumbhirgram airport and the Silchar-Lumding Hill section of the North East Frontier Railway.

Hundreds of vehicles were stranded following picketing by bandh supporters at different points on the National Highways.

Train services on the Silchar-Lumding Hill section remained disrupted since this morning following picketing on the tracks by the bandh supporters.

Railway sources said all trains from the Maibang and Badarpur stations were cancelled.

In Dholai area of Cachar district, a few vehicles were partially damaged due to stone-pelting by the bandh supporters.

Police had to resort to lathicharge at the Harinagar area of the district to control the unruly picketeers, the sources said.

Besides, large number of bandh supporters were arrested at different points.

The ADSU had called the bandh to pressurise the Centre to create a separate state for the Dimasas, named Dimraji, within the North Cachar Hills district and adjoining Dimasa-dominated areas and also to demand the publication of the Phukan Commission report on the 2003 Hmar-Dimasa ethnic clash in south Assam.

The Barak Valley Tribal Rights Protection Forum and some other organisations actively supported the bandh.

UNI