GUWAHATI: A rally against Waqf (Amendment) Act turned violent in Assam’s Silchar town in Cachar district on Sunday.
The rally, taken out by Muslims from the Berenga area of the southern Assam town, was peaceful until some protestors pelted stones targeting police personnel after the latter attempted to disperse the crowd.
Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta said the procession was taken out without obtaining prior permission.
He also said that the situation was now peaceful.“Model code of conduct is enforced in view of panchayat elections. When information was received that a protest rally was taken out from the Berenga area, police personnel rushed to the place and tried to disperse the crowd,” the SP said at a press conference.
On reports about stone-pelting by the protestors, he said attempts were made to target police personnel and they restored order by using minimal force.
He warned of action against troublemakers.
After the incident, security was beefed up in the sensitive areas of the town.
The incident came just a day after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had stated Assam had not witnessed any untoward incident over the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
He had also thanked the state’s Muslim community.“We had prior intelligence that yesterday, after Friday prayers, there could be large-scale protests related to the Waqf Act. @assampolice worked extensively over the last 5 days. We spoke to minority leaders and ensured that there was no incident of violence in Assam,” he had posted on X on Saturday.
Earlier, Manipur and Tripura witnessed violent anti-Waqf (Amendment) Act protests. A mob of 7,000 to 8,000 people had attacked the house of the BJP’s Manipur Minority Morcha president, Askar Ali, setting it on fire.
The protestors in Tripura on Saturday clashed with the police. Six to seven personnel were injured.