Police firing on protest rally in Diphu, several hurt

GUWAHATI: Several persons were injured when police resorted to fire on a protest rally organized by students activists in Diphu in Karbi Anglong district today. The protestors also damaged the town police outpost. Several police personnel had also been wounded.

The rally was organized to protest the relaxation of land policy for non-tribals in Karbi Anglong. More than 10,000 activists of various tribal students' organisations had gathered to protest the relaxation of several clauses pertaining to the ownership and transfer rights of land by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to non-tribals in the district. To disperse the protestors, the police resorted to lathi-charge and then fired tear gas shells. Later, it fired five rounds in the air, The student activists' had earlier destroyed several shops belonging to non-tribal owners in Diphu and damaged more than 15 vehicles.