Violence erupted in Kokrajhar district of Assam after a brutal clash on Monday night left people dead and many injured. The violence has forced authorities to take strong action and suspend mobile internet services. The trouble began when a Scorpio vehicle carrying a group of young men was stopped by villagers who suspected them of cattle theft as it was passing through the Gouri Nagar–Mashing Road near Karigaon village. Police said locals tried to stop the vehicle because they believed the occupants were involved in stealing cows. The vehicle then skidded off the road and an angry mob attacked the passengers.
One man, Sikhna Jwhwlao Bismit, also known as Raja, died from his injuries and a Scorpio vehicle was set on fire during the chaos, police said. Four other people who were identified as Prabhat Brahma, Jubiraj Brahma, Sunil Murmu, and Mahesh Murmu suffered serious injuries and were rushed to the Kokrajhar Medical College and Hospital for treatment.
The violence did not stop there. As news of the killing spread, people came out onto the streets. Locals blocked National Highway 27 as they were demanding justice for the victim and the arrest of those responsible for the death. They burned tyres, set fire to some houses and even damaged a government office building before police and security forces arrived to restore order. At the Karigaon Police Outpost, stone pelting and clashes broke out between the crowd and law enforcement officials.
Assam government suspends mobile internet
The Assam government has ordered a suspension of mobile internet and data services across the entire Kokrajhar district because the situation was so tense and unstable. Authorities said this was done to prevent rumours and dangerous messages from spreading which could make the violence worse. Voice calls and fixed line broadband remained available, however internet on mobile phones was blocked until further notice, as per reports.
According to reports, police have detained several people for questioning and are investigating the killing and the violence. So far, 29 people have been held in connection with the clashes and the unrest, officials said.
Similar events in the past
Kokrajhar and other parts of Assam have seen violent incidents in previous years. In 2012, ethnic clashes between Bodos and Bengali Muslims broke out in the region, which left more than 100 people dead and thousands displaced in one of the worst episodes of communal violence in recent state history.
Another major incident was the 2016 Kokrajhar shooting, in which suspected militants killed 14 people in a market attack.
