Curfew lifted in Baksa in Assam

Guwahati, Jul 25: Indefinite curfew was on Friday lifted in Baksa district of Assam following normalisation of the situation in the area which witnessed violence after killing of a student leader in Mushalpur.

The district administration had requisitioned the Army yesterday for 24 hours and it conducted flag march across the district to avert any clash between Bodo and non-Bodo people.

"The situation is completely normal now. We have lifted the curfew. Only in Mushalpur police station area, curfew is relaxed from 11 AM to 4 PM," Baksa Deputy Commissioner Vinod Seshan said.

The authority had also "de-requisitioned the Army," he said. Manoj Das, the student leader and an activist of the non-Bodo group 'Sanmilita Janogosthioa Oikya Manch', was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne gunmen near Mushalpur police station on Wednesday night. He succumbed to his injuries on way to the Gauhati Medical College Hospital.

Police lathicharged and burst tear gas shells to disperse a mob attempting to take out a procession with the body of Das by defying the curfew yesterday. The student leader was actively involved during the campaigning of former ULFA leader and Independent candidate for Kokrajhar Lok Sabha seat Naba Kumar Sarania who won the election by over 3.5 lakh votes.

According to reports, Das had allegedly received death threats and filed an FIR with Mushalpur police station. Local people alleged that Das, who was very popular in the area, was killed due to political rivalry.

PTI