Tensions rose in Assam’s Cachar district Friday after an anti-Waqf Amendment Act protest took a violent turn with protesters pelting stones and the police using lathicharge to disperse them.
After the incident, the Cachar district administration issued prohibitory orders to prevent “potential disruption of public tranquility”.
The order was issued by District Magistrate Mridul Yadav following a report submitted by Cachar SP Numal Mahatta on protest and it prohibits the assembly of five persons or more.
The protest had started from Berenga, close to the district headquarter Silchar town, Sunday and had been joined by hundreds of locals
“A protest was taken out from the Berenga region without any permission… police forces were deployed and began dispersing them. While dispersing them, some agitated men tried to vitiate the environment. So, we dispersed them using lathi charge… They had tried to pelt stones but, in the meantime, we have registered an FIR…,” the SP said.
He said that along with police, CRPF and commandos were also deployed to the site and the situation was under control by the afternoon.
The incidents on Sunday came a day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters that Assam has remained peaceful “despite having a nearly 40 per cent Muslims population” while neighbouring states like Tripura and Manipur have seen violent protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
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He told the reporters the state had only seen scattered protests, none of which had been attended by more than 150 people.
“We had strong intelligence inputs that Assam could witness some disturbances due to protests by the minority community yesterday (on Friday)… Assam Police approached leaders of the minority community and masjid committees. They worked extensively for five days. And yesterday was a day of immense satisfaction,” he had said.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
