70 hurt in clash between cops, protesters in Chirang

GUWAHATI: At least 20 security personnel and more than 50 protesters were injured on Thursday in a confrontation after police resorted to lathi charge and fired tear gas shells to stop a railway blockade by hundreds of All Bodoland Territorial Council Minority Students' Union (ABMSU) activists at Salakati.

The blockade at Salakati railway station in Chirang district was part of a series of protests announced by the student body demanding justice for the murder of their leader Lafiqul Islam, shot dead at Titaguri market in Kokrajhar on August 1 this year. Police claimed they had to resort to lathi charge only because protesters started pelting stones at them.

"When the security personnel tried to stop them (the protesters) from going to the railway station, the protesters broke the barricades and began pelting stone upon the security people. Left with no options, police had to lathi charge and fire a few rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the mob," Kokrajhar SP Rajen Singh said. "Around 46 protesters have been detained. The video footage collected from media is being analyzed to ascertain the identities of the stone-pelters," he added.

The student group, however, refuted these charges. Asked why the group went ahead with the protest even though the Centre has handed over investigation to CBI, ABMSU general secretary Shahkamal Khandakar said the railway blockade was part of a series of protests to seek justice for Lafiqul almost a month ago. The student body will start an indefinite hunger strike on October 30. "ABMSU had informed local railway authorities about the protest. In spite of that, police stopped our activists before they could reach the Salakati railway station and started lathi charge. Many of our women members, including Lafiqul's family members, received injuries in police action," Khandakar added.