Anti-CAA stir: Assam govt lifts curfew in Guwahati, Broadband services resumed

Guwahati, Dec 17: Authorities on Tuesday morning lifted curfew which was imposed on December 11 in Guwahati following days of violent protests in Assam over the amended citizenship act. The broadband services in the entire state was also restored.

The decisions were taken at a law and order review meeting by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

Taking to Twitter, Jitendra Singh, Union minister for the northeast, wrote: ''Curfew in Guwahati, Assam completely withdrawn from 6 AM today. Broadband services resumed,''

The decision to lift curfew in Guwahati, Assam's main city, came after the state government reviewed the law-and-order situation in the state on Monday. The meeting was chaired by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

"The meeting decided to lift curfew completely in Guwahati from 6 am tomorrow (Tuesday). The meeting also decided to resume operation of broadband internet services in entire state from tomorrow morning," said a statement issued by the chief minister's office had said on Monday.

Assam's director general of police Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta said the situation was better in the state, where at least five people were killed in violence during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the last one week.

Police had been using loudspeakers since Sunday to inform people about the curfew relaxation and its re- imposition.

Assam had been on the boil for the past few days as thousands of people came out on the streets to protest against the amended Citizenship Act. Agitators engaged in pitched battles with the police across various cities, forcing the administration to impose curfew.

At least four people have killed in police firing, while an oil tanker driver was charred to death when his vehicle was set on fire.