2 killed, several injured in police firing at rehabilitation seekers in Assam
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Guwahati: Two persons were killed and at least ten others, including three policemen, seriously injured, when the police opened fire upon protestors on Thursday demanding rehabilitation of 800 families evicted by the administration in Assam's Darrang district, police said.
The evicted families had launched a protest in Sipajhar demanding that the eviction be stopped and that they be provided with a comprehensive rehabilitation package when a mob of protestors, armed with sharp weapons, started pelting stones and attacking the policemen and another public present at the spot, Darrang Superintendent of Police Sushanta Biswa Sarma said.
The police initially opened fire and a scuffle followed in which two people, both civilians, were killed and at least ten others injured, he said
The injured, included three policemen, with the condition of ASI Moniruddin stated to be critical and he has been shifted to Gauhati Medical College Hospital.
The dead have been identified as Saddam Hussain and Sheikh Farid.
The mob were later dispersed and the eviction was continuing in Dholpur I and Dholpur III, he said.
The situation has been brought under control through tension continues to prevail.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in Guwahati that there will be ''no stop to the ongoing eviction. The police have been entrusted with the responsibility of clearing the land from illegal encroachers and they will continue to do it till the job is done''.
Eviction will stop once it is dark and resume again tomorrow, he added.
The Darrang district administration has so far cleared 4500 bighas of land and evicted 800 families since Monday and demolished four 'illegally' constructed religious structures at Sipajhar.