Speaking out on the violent clash that erupted in Assam's Sonapur, DGP Gyanendra Pratap Singh, who reached the site of the incident today, has said that the police firing was an attempt to control the crowd that led to the death of two locals.
The Assam DGP reached Kachutali in Sonapur and took stock of the situation after clashes between authorities and the residents during an eviction drive led to casualties and injuries.
GP Singh said, "Construction works have been ongoing in the area for the past one-and-a-half to months. We moved forward with the eviction drive with district administration on instructions of the chief minister. The area falls under a tribal belt with special provisions allowing only reserved people to stay there. However, the people occupying the area currently do not come under the reserved category."
"The eviction drive was announced through megaphones in the area seven days ago. As many as 151 families have been evicted. However, the situation suddenly turned violent on Thursday when a section of the people attacked the police and authorities. They picked stones from a nearby railway track and pelted the officials on ground," he said.
The DGP further stated, "Around 22-23 police personnel and administrative officials have been injured. Several police vehicles were also damaged. The police had to fire shots to control the crowd leading to two casualties. A case has been registered and everything will be revealed in the investigation. Action will be taken as per the policies of the government."
Notably, 11 of the people injured including police personnel and local residents are admitted at Gauhati Medical College. A woman is also among those injured, with one youth, Tausif Ali, said to be critical. Three police personnel are undergoing treatment at GMCH.
