'Indefinite curfew' imposed in parts of Silchar after group clashes

Guwahati: Following incidents of stone-pelting between two groups yesterday evening leading to an escalation in tensions, a curfew was clamped in areas under the Malugram police station in Silchar town under Assam's Cachar district.

What initially began as a quarrel between two individuals later got fuelled into a riot-like scenario. Although a communal angle has been floated, Cachar SP Bhanwar Lal Meena stated that it looked like a clash between two individuals over a personal issue.

As per information, on Saturday, amid the Eid-ul-Adha celebrations, a few unidentified individuals threw pamphlets on the streets that declared, "cow slaughtering in this lane shall not be allowed, and if caught, the outcome will be severe."

Promulgating the order, district magistrate Keerthi Jalli stated that a curfew would be clamped due to the breach of peace and tranquillity in the region. Under the curfew, the total movement of persons under the Malugram area would be banned "with immediate effect."

The curfew has been clamped amid simmering tension in the locality and because "there is every likelihood" of breach of peace and public tranquillity."

However, the order exempts magistrates on duty, police, military, and paramilitary forces, the administration has clamped curfew in the areas falling under the Malugram Police outpost.

It needs mention here that two groups had indulged in the pelting of stones in the Ghoniwala locality in Silchar on Sunday. Police, CRPF, and other security personnel were deployed to the area in a bid to restore peace and tranquillity in the region.

The police are investigating the cause of the incident during which shops of both communities were also vandalized. Reports suggest the trouble broke out when some people were putting up posters of the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

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