2 civilians dead, 20 policemen injured as eviction campaign turns violent in Assam | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The eviction drive in Assam turned violent on Thursday as a mob clashed with the Policethat the protestersresorted to lathi-charge and opened fire, resulting in the death of two people.
The Assam Police were busy clearing the alleged intruders in the Kamrup (Metropolitan) district where the incident occurred.
A team of the Sonapur Along with the circle office, police went to Kochutoli village in the district to evict Bengali-speaking Muslim villagers who were earlier evicted from the seized land but had returned, an official told news agency PTI.
The villagers, including women, attacked the officials and policemen with sharp weapons, sticks and stones, injuring a magistrate and over 20 policemen, the official alleged, adding that a police vehicle was also damaged in the incident.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma blamed the Congress for the situation and said a revenue official was also injured in the clash.
“The eviction drive was peaceful. When the Congress started opposing the eviction drive in the morning, the situation worsened and many people with lathis, bamboo sticks, attacked the police and the team of government officials who went to the area today. 22 policemen and a Revenue Circle officer were injured. The police also opened fire and two people were killed and seven others injured,” Sarma said.
The deceased have been identified as Jubahir Ali and Haider Ali, he said.
The injured include Sonapur East Police Chief Nitul Khataniar, Sonapur Police Station Chief Mrinal Deka and Hirak Jyoti Saikia.
Later, more security forces were sent to the village, consisting of high-ranking civilian and police officials. Together, they managed to bring the situation under control, but tension remained throughout the area.