From Our Correspondent
TURA: The entire shopping centre of Tura went on a lightning closure during the early part of Thursday evening following reports of clashes between members of two different communities along the Assam-Meghalaya border in Mankachar region.
Fearing reprisal attacks by criminals and mobs, traders quickly downed their shutters for the day leaving several hundred customers stranded in Tura market.
Tension erupted over an isolated incident at nearby Mankachar ares of Dhubri district adjoining West Garo Hills.
Two locals were reportedly assaulted by a group of people led by a local criminal. However, much to the relief of the victims, the public of Mankachar came to the rescue of the two local men, identified as Strim Sangma and Palwin Sangma. The public gave a sound trashing to the gang and its leader who later fled from the scene as the crowd swelled.
The members of the public were reportedly angered over the act of the gang in trying to raise tension just as the situation was getting back to normal. The two injured men were later treated at Monabari health centre and brought to Tura.
However, district administration officials in Tura mentioned that only one person was assaulted over a business deal that had gone wrong and things were getting back to normal.
Following the incident security was further strengthened in the vulnerable areas. A section of CRPF is currently deployed in the Assam side of the border while the BSF has been deployed on the Meghalaya sector ever since trouble first broke out.
Meanwhile, the district administration has warned of stern action against those involved in rumour mongering and said that those behind the spread of false reports are being monitored.
