Mob violence in Golaghat against police action

Guwahati/Golaghat, Aug 20: A police man was injured and a police vehicle and three trucks were set ablaze in Assam's violence-hit Golaghat district by a mob that blockaded NH 37 protesting against the police action at Rangajan.

The protestors accusing the police of unprovoked attack on them at Rangajan yesterday, attacked police personnel at Moinapara under Golaghat police station with bamboo sticks and injured one of them seriously, police said. The mob then set on fire a police vehicle and three trucks on NH-37 there.

The protestors, who were armed with sticks, spears, bows and arrows and matchets told newsmen visiting the area that they were 'compelled to retaliate' as 'innocent people were yesterday dragged out of their homes by police and CRPF to be fired upon from SLR and AK-47 rifles'.

They blocked the highway early this morning by burning tyres and felling trees on the road at Borsapori, Borjuri and Kuruwabahi as a mark of protest against the Rongajan police action.

The demonstrators, who carried banners and placards with banners and placards, said they would continue with their protest against the 'unprovoked' police action till the government provided them protection from attacks from Nagaland, the police said.

The protestors, who included local people and neighbouring Adivasi tea garden workers, raised slogans against Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for allegedly failing to give protection to the people along the Assam-Nagaland border.

Several vehicles, including trucks with essential goods towards Nagaland, remained stranded and people could not go for their work in Numaligarh Refinery due to the blockade, they said.

Gogoi said the central government is more equipped and has better resources to tackle situations like in the Assam- Nagaland border and it is its responsibility to give security in the neutral land.

"You (people) voted for BJP. Now they (BJP government at the Centre) are responsible and you are not saying anything to them. "I really doubt if Assam MPs have yet got the chance to meet the prime minister or the (union) home minister," he said.

The chief minister said a joint Secretary would be visiting Assam tomorrow to take stock of the situation. He brushed aside allegations that the police became violent yesterday in retaliation to the attack on his convoy by villagers a day before during his visit to the affected places.

Gogoi also charged the electronic media, both national and local for presenting only 'a one-sided biased story' of yesterday's incident. Altogether nine persons had lost their lives in firing and arson allegedly by miscreants from Nagaland in Uriamghat area of Golaghat district on August 12.

Over 10,000 people have fled their homes and are taking shelter in relief camps. So far, Nagaland police have arrested 15 persons and CRPF apprehended nine persons in connection with the violence, Gogoi said.

PTI