Thousands defy curfew, Army to protest CAB in Assam, PM seeks to assuage concerns

Two persons were killed on Thursday in police firing in Assam to quell protests against the citizenship bill with thousands descending on streets defying curfew as Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed his government was committed to safeguarding their rights.

Several towns and cities were placed under indefinite curfew, including Guwahati, the epicentre of protests, besides Dibrugarh, Tezpur and Dhekiajuli. Night curfew was imposed in Jorhat, Golaghat, Tinsukia and Charaideo districts, officials said.

Two persons were shot dead by security forces in Guwahati, which has turned into a garrison town with Army, paramilitary and state police personnel present in every nook and corner.

An official of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital told PTI that one person was brought dead and another succumbed to injuries during treatment. However, protesters claimed three people had died in police firing. Hospital sources said 11 people were brought there with gunshot injuries.

Incidents of police firing were reported from several places in Guwahati including Hatigaon, Lachitnagar, Bashishta, Downtown, Ganeshguri and Lalungaon.

Frenzied mobs blocked roads with burning discarded tyres and menaced commuters by bludgeoning their vehicles with sticks and stones.

In a series of tweets, in both Assamese and English, the prime minister said he personally and the central government are "totally committed to constitutionally safeguard the political, linguistic, cultural and land rights of the Assamese people as per the spirit of Clause 6."