Outpour, Assam plunges into chaos

Guwahati/New Delhi, Dec 12

Two persons were shot in police firing as Assam, the hotbed of the protests against the new citizenship Act, plunged into chaos today with thousands of agitators descending on streets defying curfew, thumbing their nose at Army contingents staging flag marches.

Several towns and cities were placed under indefinite curfew, including Guwahati, the epicentre of protests, besides Dibrugarh, Tezpur and Dhekiajuli. Night curfew was imposed in Jorhat, Golaghat, Tinsukia and Charaideo districts.

Two persons were shot by security forces in Guwahati, which has turned into a garrison town with Army, paramilitary and state police personnel deployed in large numbers.

An official of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital said one person was brought dead and another succumbed to injuries during treatment. However, protesters claimed three persons had died in police firing.

Frenzied mobs blocked roads with burning discarded tyres and menaced commuters by bludgeoning their vehicles with sticks and stones. RSS offices were vandalised at various places, while residences of the Handloom Minister and two BJP MLAs were attacked. The state government removed Guwahati Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar and appointed Munna Prasad Gupta in his place. Internet services in 10 districts were suspended for another 48 hours to prevent “misuse” of social media, officials said.

Internet services were also suspended in neighbouring Meghalaya for 48 hours. The Railways has suspended all passenger train services in Tripura and Assam. — PTI