Internet services were suspended in Assam’s Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts after two groups clashed again over the issue of eviction of “trespassers”, officials said on Tuesday, December 23. Internet has been temporarily suspended and will be restored once law and order improves in the districts. Orders remain valid until further orders.
While internet services will remain shut down, services such as voice calls and broadband on phone lines will remain operational. “However, it is clarified that voice calls and fixed line broadband will remain operational during this period,” the order said.
At least eight people were injured in the clashes. Police resorted to lathicharge and also fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
In an official order, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that in order to maintain greater public peace and tranquility and to prevent any aggravation of the current situation, internet services have been temporarily suspended.
On the violence situation in Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts of Assam, DGP Harmeet Singh said, “Since yesterday, a huge crowd has gathered here. I met the protesters and spoke to them. Last night, their leader was taken to Guwahati for a medical examination as doctors thought his health was deteriorating due to hunger strike, but someone is spreading misinformation.”
“Today they tried to take over the bridge and when we tried to stop them they attacked us. They threw crude bombs and stones. I was attacked with bows and arrows… The government is talking to them and a date has been set. The chief minister gave them a date and the hunger strike was called off. But so far they have fired all the police and 48 have been injured.”
He also urged the protesters to stop the vandalism and assured them that the Assam government was ready to find a solution. He further added that measures will be taken against those who do not leave. Also read | Protesters set fire to the house of a local body chief in Assam’s Diphu after a 12-day hunger strike; 4 injured in police shooting
“I want to send a message that the protesters should stop and they will not gain anything. The government is ready to find a solution… Violence will not bring anything to anyone. We have all the videos and faces, we will take legal action,” he said.
Why did the clashes occur?
Dozens of people from several political and social organizations have been on hunger strike for the last 12 days demanding the removal of illegal settlers. A day earlier, agitators set fire to the residence of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) chief.
Minister Ranoj Pegu said, “A section of people are upset that encroachers are settling on PGR and VGR land and there was an attempt to evict them last year, but a petition was filed in the Gauhati High Court which issued an interim order to stay the eviction process.”
