Police firing kills three in Assam's Golaghat district

Situation in Golaghat district turned further violent today as three persons were killed and seven others were injured when police resorted to firing to control a irate mob. Since then, indefinite curfew has been clamped in the district.

According to local media reports, the police opened fire when thousands of stone pelting protesters tried to storm into a police station in Golaghat district.

Yesterday too, the police and CRPF had resorted to firing and lathicharge when protesters clashed with the security people. Yesterday, one person had died and five others were injured in the clash between the police and protesters.

The protesters also set ablaze three trucks on national highway 37 and one police vehicle today.

They tried to lay siege of the highway by burning tyres and felling trees. Vehicular movement along national highway 39, which connects Nagaland and Manipur with Assam, has been severely affected as protesters have imposed a road-blockade on the highway.

Over 10,000 panic-stricken villagers are presently taking shelter in 13 relief camps opened by the Golaghat district administration.

Chief minister Tarun Gogoi today said the government would enquire into why the police had to open fire yesterday. He also admitted that there was no need to resort to firing yesterday since no protester was seen in the television footage when the police was firing.

Gogoi also blamed the Union home minister for failing to provide security along the disputed stretch of land.

Assam's Golaghat district has been on boil since August 12 after armed Naga miscreants killed nine people along Assam-Nagaland border.

They also torched scores of huts and houses. Nagaland claims a stretch of land on Assam side as theirs. The disputed land and the area has been a bone of contention between both states for decades. However, this time the magnitude of violence has been far greater than ever.

The area affected by the latest spectre of violence falls in the 'B' sector of the Disputed Area Belt (DAB) and is located within the constitutional boundary of Assam. Gogoi is scheduled to meet his Nagaland counterpart TR Zeliang tomorrow to discuss the border flare-up.