Assam: 2 killed in police firing after violent protest against RSS leader's remark
Guwahati: At least two youth were killed and six wounded in police firing in Dima Hasao district of Assam where violence broke out after a RSS leader made a controversial remark.
It is alleged that the leader proposed a draft solution for the Nagaland peace process in which parts of the district would go to the greater Nagalim demanded by NSCN (IM).
The district administration, fearing more violence, has clamped curfew in the district on Friday.
However, senior RSS leaders denied having any such proposal being moved or submitted by them to the Centre.
The reports in a section of media referring an RSS leader resulted in angry protests in the district. The protestors had called a 12-hour bandh on Thursday against the RSS leader and demanded that RSS leader should beg an apology.
Thousands of people who came out in support of bandh blockaded railway tracks at the Maibang railway station. The protestors stopped a Silchar-bound train and allegedly forced passengers to get down.
The protestors went on rampage after police charged them with batons, and damaged the vehicles of Deputy Commissioner of Police and Superintendent of Police. When they attempted to attack the security personnel, the police opened fire, injuring at least eight protestors.
Among those injured in police firing, two of the protestors who were critically wounded – 27-year-old Mithun Dibrageda and 17-year-old Prabanta Hakmaosa – died on their way to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital on Friday.
The protestors belonging to three Dimasa organisations—Jdike Naiso Hosom, the Dimasa Students' Union and the Dimasa Mothers' Association have called the people to observe Friday as black day.
Meanwhile, additional police forces have been rushed to the district. The state administration on Friday claimed that situation was tense but under control.
Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has also clarified that there is no such proposal and no area of Assam would be included in Nagaland.
It is significant that home ministry has already rejected the demand of NSCN (I-M) for greater Nagalim comprising the Naga dominated areas of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. The union home minister Rajnath Singh has also ruled out the possibility of changing the boundary of any northeastern states.
