Mob beat up policemen, damage vehicles in Assam

Silchar: A mob beat up several policemen, heckled some others, damaged police vehicles and a bridge after a child was killed in an accident on the national highway 37 in Assam, police said on Saturday.

The trouble began on Friday when an eight-year-old school girl was run over and killed by a truck on the Silchar-Imphal road at Hmarculin.

In protest, local people put up a road blockade keeping the body of the child on the road. The Officer-in charge of Lakhhimpur police station Hantse along with other policemen rushed to the spot where the angry people beat them up and damaged several police vehicles.

To control the situation, police burst tear gas shells, fired four rounds in the air as well as four rounds of rubber bullets, police said.

The injured OC Hantse, Assistant Sub Inspector Sajal Purkaystha, ASI Rafiqueuddin and driver Akbar Khan were admitted to the Silchar Medical College Hospital (SMCH).

The protesters then heckled the neighbouring Jaipur PS OC Anol Jyoti Das and other administration officials of Lakhhipur sub-division who rushed there to bring the situation under control, they said.

Senior police officials, including the Officer-in- charge of Cachar police station, then rushed to the spot and recovered the body and sent it to the SMCH for post-mortem. Police said the situation on Saturday was under control though tense and peace meetings were held with the agitating people.

So far 21 people were arrested, but the people were demanding that they be released immediately, the truck traced and the family of the girl paid monetary compensation.
Meanwhile, movement of vehicles on the Silchar-Imphal NH-37 remained suspended on Saturday as the protesters had on Friday damaged a bridge there, they said. (PTI)