Assam to lift broadband net curbs, curfew in Guwahati

STATE DGP SAYS THEY HAVE ARRESTED 190 PEOPLE FOR LAST WEEK’S VIOLENCE AND ARE LIKELY TO ARREST MORE PEOPLE IN

THE COMING DAYS

GUWAHATI: The Assam government will withdraw curbs on broadband internet and lift curfew in Guwahati on Tuesday, said a statement from the chief minister’s office even as the administration said it took serious note of violence over India’s new citizenship law last week and will arrest more suspects.

The statement came after a high-level meeting to review the law and order situation in the state, which was chaired by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

“The meeting decided to lift curfew completely in Guwahati from 6 am tomorrow. The meeting also decided to resume operation of broadband internet services in entire state form tomorrow morning,” said a statement issued by the CMO.

There was, however, no word on when mobile internet will be restored.

“Things are much better now. We have arrested 190 persons so far. A Special Investigation Team is being formed which will investigate all aspects (of the violence),” said Bhaskarjyoti

Mahanta, Director General of Police, Assam.

Four persons were killed in Guwahati after being hit by bullets allegedly fired by the security forces as thousands of protesters took to the streets amid a curfew. The city saw multiple cases of violence and vandalism as protestors clashed with security forces.

Earlier in the day, senior cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state police have registered 136 cases in relation to last week’s violence. Sarma said the number of persons arrested may go up as the state government has taken incidents of violence on December 10 and December 11 very seriously and plans to investigate it through a high level probe.

Sarma mentioned two instances of violence, the vandalism at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, a cultural centre in Guwahati, and the incident on the road outside the Assam Secretariat. “We have witnessed a pattern,” Sarma said referring to the two incidents.

Sarma said government has information on the involvement of 24 persons in the violence at Kalaksheta. “As per the police, One Zubair Anam was leading the mob,” Sarma said adding that Anam is associated with a political party and efforts are on to arrest him.

Sarma said many from outside Guwahati, from Barpeta, Goalpara and Nalbari districts have been arrested for their alleged role in the violence.

On Sunday, some shops were torched in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia which has been one of the worst affected by the violence and protests, the police confirmed.

Meanwhile, the All Assam Students Union launched a three day civil resistance movement in the state against the CAA. In Guwahati, several of its leaders courted arrest as they marched to the deputy commissioner’s office. They were subsequently released.