From our Staff Correspondent
Dibrugarh, July 3: The Soi Ja Gustiyo Oikya Mancha (CJOM), a platform of six indigenous communities (Tai Ahom, Mottock , Moran, Chutia, Konch and tea tribes), in protest against the Union and State governments’ indifferent attitude towards awarding them Sixth Schedule status, called for 12-hour Assam bandh, which was spontaneous and passed off peacefully barring sporadic incidents of stone pelting. The police arrested a number of picketers in different parts of the district who were later released. A number of vehicles were damaged at Lepetkota, Khowang , Barbarua, Lahowal and few other places due to stone pelting by picketers. Long distance buses as well as urban and sub-urban vehicular traffic were completely off the road and business establishments, banking institutions, post office and a number of Central as well as State government offices remained closed for the day. The normal services in OIL, BCPL and a section of tea estates in the district were disrupted and construction work of Bogibeel Bridge came to standstill for the day due to the bandh.