CAB: Agitator killed in Tripura, curfew imposed in Guwahati

Guwahati/Agartala: A protester was killed in Tripura and curfew was imposed in Guwahati as the stirs in northeast India against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill further intensified for the third consecutive day on Wednesday with various parties and NGOs including the influential North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) urged the central government to “respect the sentiments of the people of the region”.

Curfew was imposed in Assam’s main city, Guwahati on Wednesday evening following the unprecedented protests against the Bill, officials said here.

A senior police official said that the Curfew was imposed in Guwahati by the Kamrup district administration after the protest against the CAB turned violent and as the agitators set ablaze some vehicles in the city. The curfew is likely to continue till the situation improves. The district administration has also asked the Army to remain on standby. Huge contingent of central para-military and state security forces were deployed in Guwahati, Dispur and other troubled places in Assam.

Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) General Secretary Jagadhish Debbarma told media that one of their protesters Mantrilal Kaipeng (55) was killed at Tuichindrai Bazar (under Khowai District) following the attack of the “rival group people”.

In view of the agitations, examinations in schools, colleges and universities were postponed in Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya.

The Northeast Frontier Railway, which operates trains in some parts of Bihar and West Bengal besides entire northeastern region, either cancelled or rescheduled many trains including Humsafar Express and Kanchanjunga Express.

In Assam, protests erupted in different parts of the BJP-ruled state on Wednesday morning with the security forces resorting to lathi-charge in Dispur, Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Jorhat to disperse the protesters. At least 25 protesters including women and some journalists and television crews were injured in the lathi-charge and clashes.

Normal life in many parts of Assam was badly affected due to the agitations and cancellations of many trains and buses besides shutting down of shops and business establishments. Though the senior police officials claimed that the situation in most parts of Assam is under control, huge tension is prevailing in Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Dispur and other places of the state.

A large contingent of police and central para-military forces led by senior police officials were deployed to deal with the situation.

In Tripura, the Joint Movement Against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (JMACAB), a conglomeration of many tribal local and regional parties, NGOs and student and youth organisations of Tripura, led by Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), held sit-in-demonstrations against the CAB in different parts of Tripura on Wednesday.

The mobile based internet services remained suspended across Tripura for the second day on Wednesday. Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPc have been promulgated in some parts of West Tripura, Sepahijala, Dhalai and North Tripura districts after Tuesday’s violence, clashes and attacks.

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb while talking to media said that the agitations against the CAB are unnecessary and against the development of Tripura.

“Union Home Minister Amit Shah has already made it clear that with the enforcement of the CAB, no community or individual belonging to northeast region would be affected,” said Deb, who also holds the home portfolio.

By IANS