Protest against drive to clear encroachment turns violent, 20 hurt: Assam cops

OVer 20 people, including 15 police force officers and woodland section officials, were injured after a dissent against the custody of 25 alleged encroachers turned violent in Assam’s Chirang district on Friday, police said.Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Chirang Dhruba Bora, who was also injured in the clash, said the forest department had detained 25 locals on Thursday during an operation against alleged encroachment in the Runikhata forest range along the India–Bhutan border.According to police officers, over 200 locals gathered outside the Runikhata forest range office next day morning and staged a protest seeking the release of those detained.“The locals came to the range office on Friday morning demanding their release. Some people started spreading misinformation about alleged harassment of the detained persons in custody, and then they attacked the forest office,” SSP Bora said.Police said the protesters initially attacked on-duty personnel, torched a forest department office and vehicles, and later resorted to stone-pelting. “In this process, at least 15 police and forest officials sustained injuries, and to control the situation we had to resort to blank firing,” Bora said, adding that several locals were also injured during the lathi charge.Meanwhile, protesters alleged that the forest department was selectively detaining Adivasi people while allowing other communities to clear forest land in the same area.“If clearing forest is illegal here, why is action being taken only against us, the Adivasi people? People from the Bodo community are doing the same, but no action is being taken against them. This is selective action, and we were protesting against this,” a protester said.They also alleged that those detained were harassed inside the forest office and that police officers misbehaved with women. “They were trying to create pressure on us, and this custodial harassment was one of their tactics to break us. This angered our people, which led to the situation turning violent,” the protester added.Bora said the situation is now under control and additional police forces have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order.The protest was organised by the All Adivasi Students’ Association (AASAA) and the All Santal Students’ Union (ASSU). The associations have announced protests across the Bodoland Territorial Region, demanding accountability and an independent inquiry into the incident.Police said cases would be registered against those involved in the violence. “We are investigating the matter and collecting evidence. After the initial investigation, FIRs will be lodged against those found involved, and further legal action will follow,” SSP Bora said.The Assam government on Friday evening suspended mobile internet services in Chirang and Kokrajhar districts amid rising tension. “We are here to resolve the issue through dialogue. But if anyone takes the law into their own hands, strict action will be taken,” SSP of Bongaigaon Numal Mahatta, who also visited the area on Friday, said.