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Violence mars Dima Hasao bandh

By The Assam Tribune

MAIBONG, Jan 25 - A mob here today attacked a train and pulled out passengers to stop them from continuing their journey during a 12-hour Dima Hasao district bandh following which police fired in the air to control the protesters in which 10 of them were injured.

District administration sources said two among the 10 persons were critically injured in the firing and baton charge.

Indefinite curfew was imposed in the area as the situation deteriorated with the bandh sponsors pelting the police personnel with stones and attacking their vehicles near the railway station, sources added.

Police first burst tear-gas shells and baton charged to control the mob at Maibong railway station, where they blocked the tracks and stopped a Silchar-bound train from Guwahati, a police official said.

But as the mob turned restive and attacked the train, damaged railway property and uprooted train tracks, the police fired in the air to disperse them.

District deputy commissioner and superintendent of police with additional security personnel rushed to the area.

The train�s passengers were evacuated and moved to nearby schools and provided food as the bandh hit normal life in the district and vehicles kept off the road, officials said.

The district administration said all the injured were admitted to hospital.

The bandh, which began at 5 am, also forced the closure of offices, educational institutions, shops, business establishments and markets as well as banks, they said.

The bandh was called by various organisations in protest against the proposed inclusion of Dima Hasao in Greater Nagalim. The bandh supporters also demanded an apology from the RSS organiser in the Northeast, Jagadamba Mall, for his purported statement on inclusion of Dima Hasao in Greater Nagalim in the draft Naga accord between the rebels and the Centre.

Kailen Daulagupu, president of Jadikhe Naiso Hosom, a Dimasa community apex body, which is among the organisations that called the bandh, said it was also in protest against the lack of response from the authorities on the issue. � PTI

Haflong correspondent adds: Condemning the police firing on protesters at Maibang and demanding an inquiry into the police action and a written statement from the Government of India on the Nagalim issue and adequate compensation to the injured persons, various organisations have given a Dima Hasao bandh call from 5 am of January 26 to 5 am of January 28.

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