Doomdooma: The 77th Republic Day was observed under bandh-like conditions in Doomdooma town of Tinsukia district on Sunday, as normal life remained disrupted amid heightened security and reports of firing near an Assam Rifles camp in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh.
Large parts of the town, including Gandhi Chowk and Town Field areas, wore a deserted look throughout the day. Shops remained closed, roads were largely empty, and routine activity was minimal despite a heavy deployment of police and paramilitary personnel.
Residents said the shutdown reflected the persistence of a long-standing bandh culture in the region, particularly on national occasions such as Republic Day and Independence Day. While no incidents of violence were reported from Doomdooma, the lack of public participation marked yet another muted national observance in Upper Assam.
“Police deployment is heavy, but there are no vehicles or customers. Everyone is indoors,” said a local resident, pointing to the shuttered market areas.
A few daily wage earners attempted to continue work despite the prevailing uncertainty. An orange vendor near Gandhi Chowk said economic compulsion left him with little choice. “We survive on what we earn each day. Staying home means no food,” he said. A roadside performer nearby tried to attract passers-by, highlighting the vulnerability of informal livelihoods during shutdowns.
Republic Day and Independence Day shutdowns in Assam trace their origins to the insurgency period of the late 1970s and 1980s. The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), formed in 1979 with the demand for a sovereign Assam, institutionalised bandhs as a political tool. By the late 1980s and 1990s, shutdowns, extortion and targeted violence had become routine, severely affecting economic and social life.
National days were often targeted as symbolic rejections of Indian statehood, leading to repeated disruptions of transport, trade, education and healthcare. Although insurgency-related violence has declined in recent years, hardline outfits such as ULFA (Independent) and allied groups have continued to call shutdowns. An 18-hour bandh was enforced as recently as 2023.
While the pro-talks faction of ULFA signed a peace agreement during 2023–24 and subsequently disbanded, security agencies maintain that remnants of armed groups continue to operate in parts of the region.