Protests for Karbi Anglong: 20 injured, indefinite curfew imposed

Demand for a separate Karbi Anglong state on the lines of Telangana turned violent today in Diphu as 20 people were injured in police firing on the agitators, prompting the administration to impose an indefinite curfew and call in the army.

Twenty people were injured in several areas of Diphu when police opened fired to control violent protesters which burnt Karbi Anglong district Congress office, attacked Autonomous District Council building, the residences of its Chief Executive Member (CEM) and four other executive members, officials said.

The mob also set on fire a public bus counter in the council colony and vehicles on the road. They also set on blaze vehicle parked in the premises of the residences of CEM and other executive members, the officials said.

To quell the angry protesters, police opened fire near council building, Congress office, CEM's residence and the bus counter, they said.

As the situation went out of control, the district administration imposed an indefinite curfew from 3:00 PM and called in Army to assist in maintaining law and order, the officials said.

Violence erupted in support of a separate Karbi Anglong state carved out of Assam along the lines of Telangana when agitators belonging to several organisations gheraoed Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council here in the morning and locked its main gate, they said.

The demonstrators then threw stones at the residences of Congress MP Birensing Ingti, MLA Bidyasing Engleng, Council's CEM Joyram Engleng and four of its executive members, damaging their property.

The agitators belonging to Karbi Students Association, Karbi Riso Adorba and other organisations even broke the gate of Engleng's residence and damaged the cars parked in the compound, the officials said, adding that several vehicles in the executive members' residence campus were also set ablaze.

The leaders of the various organisations said the demand was made as far back as in 1951 and have threatened to continue their stir if no action was immediately taken by the Centre. They also demanded resignation of Ingti, Bidyasing, Engleng and all Council members.