44 injured as protestors violently clash with police in Assam

Diphu, Assam: Altogether 44 people, including nine police personnel, were injured in a clash here between protestors demanding eviction of "illegal settlers" and security forces in Assam's Karbi Anglong district on Tuesday, an official said.

The police baton charged the protestors and fired in the air, while the demonstrators who deviated from the permitted route pelted the law enforcers with stones.

Several organisations had taken out a protest march to demand eviction of illegal settlers residing in Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) and Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) in the districts of Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong.

The protestors were permitted to march to the office of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and submit a memorandum to the Chief Executive Member (CEM).

The situation turned tense when the protesters deviated from the permitted route and did not pay heed to the security forces when they asked them to maintain the designated path.

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The protestors clashed with the police and the situation turned violent with the security forces firing in the air to disperse the crowd.

The protestors, however, began to throw stones at the police personnel who baton charged the demonstrators.

Thirty-five protestors and nine police personnel suffered injuries in the clash.

Karbi Anglong Superintendent of Police Sanib Kumar Saikia said that so far four people were arrested.

The situation was brought under control but tension prevails in the area, he added.

Karbi Students Association and the youth wing of the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) were protesting against the illegal occupation of PGR and VGR land with several other organisations joining the march.

The alleged illegal settlers and protestors clashed in February at Kheroni Chariali in West Karbi Anglong district following which the KAAC chief executive member Tuliram Ronghang had called a meeting of several organisations to resolve the issue.

Various organisations then held a meeting and it was decied unanimously that 1983 families who have allegedly encroached on PGR and VGR land would be evicted. The matter is now pending in the Gauhati High Court.