Three persons were killed and several others wounded in police firing at Rangiya Tiniali on Saturday night after a group of youth belonging to the All-Bodo Minority Students Union (ABMSU) attacked and vandalised shops, houses and markets.
Tension continues to prevail in the area on Sunday with hundreds of locals resorting to an impromptu demonstration to denounce the police firing.
Kamrup district SP Parthsarathi Mahanta who is camping in the area said, “The situation is fast returning to normal although there is some tension in the area.” He said that the police had to resort to firing to control the situation.
The vandalism took place as a backlash of the alleged assault of All-Bodo Minority Students Union members by local residents at Rangiya Tiniali in the morning of Saturday.
The ABMSU group was going to attend its central committee meeting at Kumarikata when local residents of the area attacked them while they stopped for having refreshment at Rangia.
The All-Bodo Minority Students Union members on way back from the meeting started vandalising the markets in retaliation which forced police to open fire to control the situation.
One person was killed on the spot in police firing while another seriously injured person succumbed to his injuries on way to Guwahati Medical College Hospital. Another seriously injured person breathed his last in GMC Hospital.
Meanwhile, the Bajrang Dal called for a 12-hour Rangiya bandh on Sunday protesting Saturday’s incidents.
The situation in Rangiya continues to be tensed but fully under control. Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday asked two ministers of his Cabinet to visit the trouble-torn area to review the situation.
No fresh incidents have been reported on Sunday.