GUWAHATI: Normalcy prevailed throughout the night and on Wednesday morning in Assam’s restive Kokrajhar, where two people – a Bodo and an Adivasi (Santhal), had lost their lives in mob violence that was triggered by a road accident.
Officials said the situation remained under control; however, prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS have been in force in Kokrajhar district since Tuesday, while the government has also temporarily suspended mobile internet services in Kokrajhar and the adjoining Chirang district.
Four columns of the Army, along with Rapid Action Force, Central Reserve Police Force and Assam Police personnel, have been deployed to the trouble-torn areas. For the second straight day, the Army staged a flag march.
The district administration set up four to five relief camps where people from both communities are lodged. They left their homes after being driven by the feeling of insecurity.
Akhilesh Kumar Singh, IGP (Law & Order), told media persons at the site that security had been provided at the relief camps.
“We have taken some confidence-building measures. We will have a meeting today with everyone,” he said.
Stating that normalcy has been more or less restored, he urged people to keep faith in the administration and not believe in rumours. He warned that rumour-mongers would be punished if they did not stop such activities.
A road accident at Karigaon, about 30 km from Kokrajhar town, was the trigger of the violence. An Adivasi mob attacked three Bodo youths on Monday night, killing one of them, after their vehicle had hit two Adivasi youths. The vehicle was also torched.
Four others – two Bodos and two Adivasis – were injured. One of the Adivasi youths succumbed to his injuries later. The violence occurred when the Bodo youths were returning to Kokrajhar after inspecting a road construction site.
Tensions flared on Tuesday with hundreds of people from both communities blocking a National Highway. The protestors torched a few houses, an office building, a designated camp of an Adivasi rebel group in peace mode and attacked the Karigaon police outpost.
Eighteen people were arrested by the police in connection with the violence.
