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Expressing concern over the incident took place at Dhula in Darrang district, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal ordered a high level inquiry. He asked additional chief secretary MGVK Bhanu to inquire into the incident and submit a report to the Government regarding the incident at the earliest.

One person died and several  others injured when police resorted to firing on the protestors at Dhula in Assam’s Darrang district on Wednesday.  The person has been identified as Mahibul Haq. Following the incident district administration had put the officer-in-charge of Dhula PS Ranjit Hazarika under suspension and later arrested him under section 302/323/356/04.

Violence erupted in Dhula area of Assam’s Darrang district following the death of a local labourer, Hasan Ali in police custody.

The AMSU activists along with hundreds of irate locals had gheraoed the Dhula police station since the wee hours after a local labourer, Hasan Ali, died in police custody in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

The daily wage labourer was arrested by Dhula police on charges of a case registered earlier.

Locals have alleged policemen led by officer-in-charge of Dhula police station inflicted inhuman torture on Hasan Ali in custody.

It is learnt the accused was continuously bathed in cold water throughout the night in this shivering weather. The region has been witnessing a cold wave for the last couple of days.

When the news of Ali’s death in custody spread like wild fire, hundreds of agitated locals led by AMSU activists gheraoed the Dhula police station and demanded action against the erring police officers.

The agitated mob continuously hurled stones at the police station. The protestors also blocked the National Highway 15 disrupting traffic completely. They even attacked men in uniform and police vehicles.

In order to bring the situation under control, police first fired tear gas shells and later resorted to blank fire resulting in the death of one of the protestors and injuring several others. The dead has been identified as 20-year-old Moidul Islam. One of the injured has been rushed to Guwahati Medical College and Hospital for further treatment after administering preliminary treatment at the Kharupetia hospital.

Policemen on duty at the police station have already fled to safer places even as top police and administrative officials have rushed to the spot to take control of the situation. At least four policemen also sustained injuries. They have been sent to Mangaldai civil hospital. The injured protestors have also been sent to Mangaldai civil hospital.

Though curfew has been imposed indefinitely, the situation is still volatile and is likely to deteriorate further. The Army has been called in to stage flag march.

Meanwhile, APCC president Ripun Bora has demanded a judicial inquiry into the Dhula incident. Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi also reacted sharply on the Dhula incident and said law and order in the state has deteriorated.

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