Police resorted to blank firing to quell a mob of protesters who allegedly pelted stones at the police at Jorhat town in upper Assam’s Jorhat district during 11-hour shutdown call given by NESO.
Additional SP Security Imdad Ali said that a team of policemen had gone to the place on being informed that protestors against CAB were burning tyres on the Bypass section of NH 37 which had brought traffic to a standstill on both sides.
“An altercation ensued with the protestors with the Jorhat OC Ranjit Chetia being manhandled. We resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse the mob, following which they pelted us with stones,” Chetia said.
He further said the police had blank fired three rounds of rubber pellets.
One policeman Abdul Qadir was severely injured in the stone pelting while another sustained minor injuries.
It was reported that three persons were also injured in the melee.
The shutdown in Jorhat district was total and continued late into the evening with burning of tyres.
Several picketers were picked up by the police, who burnt tyres on streets in some places.
Vehicles and public transport were off the roads. Educational and business establishments remained closed for the second day today in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
Meanwhile, the district administration here has restricted any individual or organisation in Jorhat from carrying inflammable objects including fire torches, candles, burning of tyres and effigies in public places, roads, in front of government offices, residences of public representatives, renowned persons and government officers with immediate effect.
In a notification Jorhat deputy commissioner Roshni Aparanji Korati has stated that there was a possibility of breach of peace and public tranquillity in the district.
To prevent any untoward incident given the prevailing law and situation in the district, section 144 Cr PC has been promulgated in the district.
Any person violating this order would be tried under section 188 IPC, it said.