Police arrest two for ‘inciting’ violence during eviction drive

Police in Assam arrested two people Monday for ‘inciting’ violence during an eviction drive in Sipajhar in Darrang district on September 23, during which two people had died. On July 3, Asmat Ali Ahmed (37) and Chand Mamud (47), both from Kirakara village, were arrested. According to Darrang Superintendent of Police Sushanta Biswa Sarma, they instigated the protestors, interrogated them about leaving their homes during the eviction, among other things.

In addition to an attempt to murder charge, both were booked under multiple sections of the IPC. Earlier this week, the government’s eviction drive in Dholpur 3 village turned violent, leading to the deaths of two residents, including a 12-year-old, as cops clashed with protesters. Himanta Biswa Sarma ordered a judicial investigation into the deaths and ordered the arrest of Bijay Bania, a cameraperson hired by the district administration. A viral video shows Bania stomping on a protester as he lay dying. The man is currently being held in Guwahati jail. He added that Ahmed and Mamud were local leaders of panchayat bodies and, according to the investigation so far, there is no evidence linking them to the Popular Front of India (PFI). PFI is a Muslim outfit that has been under government scrutiny.

Himanta had mentioned the PFI on Saturday, suggesting they might be involved in the violence. On the pretext of providing food for evicted families, the PFI visited the site prior to the incident, the CM said. According to him, there was ‘intelligence’ about six individuals, including ‘an Assam college lecturer’. The state government has very clear reports that certain individuals have collected 28 lakh from poor landless people in the last three months and told them there will be no eviction. ‘Those individuals mobilized those people to create havoc on that particular day,’ he further stated.

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Besides ordering a CID probe into Bania’s role, CM Himanta also said that while ‘we will not ignore who mobilized 10,000 people’ there. While the eviction drive concerned just 60 people, 10,000 had raged against the 27 police officers  present there. A top Assam Police officer told The Indian Express earlier that ‘outside elements’ were involved in the protests. These people are responsible for giving protests a violent character. This resistance was planned and was conducted in a tactical manner, according to the official.