Assam clashes: Day after one killed in violence, Hailakandi remains tense; curfew extended till 7 am on Monday

Hailakandi: Curfew in Assam’s Hailakandi district was extended till 7 am on 13 May, even as the situation remained tense but under control on Saturday, a day after a after a communal clash claimed one life and injured 14 others, officials said. An Assam government release said the curfew was extended as the district administration apprehended breach of peace in the district. It, however, added that there has been no major untoward incident since Friday night. As per an earlier order, the curfew was to end at 7 am on Sunday. A law and order review meeting was held at the district Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli’s office, which was attended by senior officials, the release said. [caption id=“attachment_3741933” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The meeting deliberated on the prevailing situation and confidence-building measures to bring back normalcy and peace in the district. Jalli said the situation was under control with the deployment of personnel from the CRPF and the Assam Rifles. Urging the people not to spread rumours, she said, “The administration has taken all measures to maintain peace and security of the people.” “It is not a communal clash but the handiwork of two to three miscreants,” she added. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had announced an inquiry into the clash on Friday. Additional Chief Secretary Rajiv Bora will conduct the probe and submit a report to the state government. Sonowal also appealed to people to not allow “divisive forces to create unrest in the society”. He warned that the state government would take strong action against forces inimical to the interests of the Assam and its people. Earlier on Saturday, Environment and Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, Additional Director General of Police, Mukesh Agarwalla and Commissioner of Barak Valley Region, Anuwaruddin Choudhury arrived at Hailakandi to take stock of the situation. Suklabaidya, along with Jalli and other senior officials, visited the residence of the deceased at Narayanpur on the outskirts of the town, and offered condolences to the members of the bereaved family, the release said. On Friday, the Army was called in to assist the district administration to maintain peace following the clash. Out of the 15 persons injured, one of them succumbed to injuries in hospital Friday night. Over 15 vehicles were damaged, 12 shops vandalised and set on fire in different parts of the town, officials said. Trouble started when a group of people decided to hold the Friday noon prayers on the road, located at Kali Bari point of the town, in protest against some motorcycles being damaged by people belonging to another community, they said. Police had attempted to disperse the protesters by firing in the air in which 15 people were injured, the officials said. Internet services have been suspended in the entire Barak Valley since Friday night, as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of rumours and misinformation on social media platforms, they added.