Guwahati: The 12-hour bandh called by All Moran Students’ Union (AMSU) and All Assam Motok Yuva Chatra Sanmilan (AAMYCS) in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Assam demanding ST status for the two communities disrupted normal life on Monday.
All shops, business establishments, offices, banks and other institutions remained closed with some experiencing low attendance as thousands of agitators blocked the main roads in the towns of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.
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Despite the respective district administrations promulgating prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in both districts, the agitators stopped vehicular movement along the national highways.
A large number of agitators came out to impose the dawn-to-dusk bandh defying the orders that prohibited forceful bandh calls, picketing, road blockages, tyre burning and the carrying of inflammable items.
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Tyres were burnt on roads in various locations across both districts by bandh supporters with the police firing two rounds into the air in order to disperse the protesters on the Makum-Tinsukia bypass.
However, the bandh supporters exempted school buses and those on emergency services from the purview of the bandh.
The Moran, Motok, Tai-Ahom, Koch-Rajbongshi, Chutia and Tea-Tribes communities have long been demanding ST status.
Although the bandh was called by the AMSU and AAMYCS, several other organisations from the other four communities seeking ST status also lent their support to the agitation.
The AMSU said the movement will intensify in the coming days until the demands are met.