From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: Curfew was imposed at Rangiya revenue circle in Kamrup district of Assam and Army staged flag march after situation turned tense in the area after a mob had torched several vehicles including a bus on the national highway 31 on Thursday about 45 kilometers away from Guwahati city.
The mob resorted to violent protest following a Wednesday night’s incident at Gandhibari in neighbouring Baksa district in Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in which a Nano car was torched while its driver and passengers went missing.
The driver was from Udiana area in Rangiya. The car was returning to Rangiya.
It was first incident in Kamrup district as a sequel to the violence that broke out in BTC areas last month between Bodo tribe people and a religious minority community.
“Curfew has been imposed in Rangiya sub-division of Kamrup district after unidentified people set ablaze many vehicles and a wooden bridge,” Director General of Assam Police Jayanto N. Choudhury told IANS.
“The situation is totally under control,” the police chief said.
The violence has so far claimed 77 lives in Kokrajhar, Chirang, Dhubri and Baksa districts.
Angry locals blocked NH-31 at Udiana Chowk within the Rangiya police station jurisdiction since early morning to protest Wednesday night’s incident.
The mob went berserk torching seven vehicles, including a bus going to Guwahati at Bhatkuchi, and also burnt a wooden bridge at Kekahati, police said.
The mob that went on a rampage on the highway at Rangiya even tried to attack the vehicle of Rangiya Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Barnali Deka, forcing the police to use tear gas and fire in the air.
A bus going towards Guwahati at Bhatkuchi was torched.
Several other vehicles stranded on the highway were damaged by the mob that also set afire a wooden bridge at Kekahati.
An official source said that Army staged flag march in the area where the situation was tense but under control. (With inputs from IANS)