Curfew lifted in Assam's troubled district

Indefinite curfew imposed in Assam's troubled Golaghat district, along the border with Nagaland, was lifted Friday for 12 hours as it remained calm with no protestors taking to the streets, officials said.

The curfew was imposed in the district Wednesday after three people died when police opened fire at protestors, who took to the streets in Rongajan and Arengapathar areas in the district to denounce "police atrocities".

"Curfew was lifted for 12 hours Friday," a senior district police officer said.

The situation improved after union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju held discussion with Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Nagaland Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang here Thursday.

Violence erupted along the Sector B of Assam-Nagaland border last week that killed nine people and left over 10,000 people homeless on the Assam side of the border.

At least seven organisations, which called an indefinite shutdown of the district to protest the state government's failure to handle the recent violence in the inter-state border, also called off the shutdown Thursday night.

The Assam chief minister, meanwhile, assured that adequate compensation would be provided to the people affected by the violence.

Besides, he announced Rs.5 lakh each as ex-gratia to the next of kin of those killed in police firing and Rs.50,000 to those who sustained serious injuries.