Assam Congress demands inquiry after 2 killed in police firing during eviction drive

Kamrup Metropolitan (Assam) [India], September 14 (ANI): The Assam Pradesh Congress has called for a high-level inquiry into the deaths of two individuals who were killed in police firing during an eviction drive in the Sonapur Kachutali area of the Kamrup (Metro) district on Thursday.
Jakir Hussain Sikdar, Working President of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee and an MLA, told ANI on Saturday, "We have demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident."
He added, "Today, we (a delegation from the Congress party) came here to assess the situation. However, some individuals and organisations, backed by the BJP, prevented us from visiting the area. We also want to protect the tribal belt and block area."
Congress MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed further remarked that they were subjected to "dadagiri" and were not allowed to visit the site.
On Saturday, a delegation from the Assam Congress arrived in Sonapur to meet the displaced families and assess the situation. However, a large number of local residents and tribal organisations staged a protest against the Congress delegation's visit.
Tensions escalated in Sonapur in the presence of police, who prevented the Congress team from visiting the site where the eviction had taken place.
Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that two people were killed and seven others injured after police resorted to firing to control a mob that had attacked police personnel and government officials during the eviction drive in the Kamrup (Metro) district.
Sarma said on Thursday that while the eviction was initially carried out peacefully, the situation "worsened" following Congress' involvement.
A total of 22 police personnel and a revenue circle officer were injured in the clashes that occurred in Sonapur on Thursday.
Speaking to the media at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in Guwahati yesterday, Sarma said, "The eviction drive was conducted peacefully. However, when Congress began opposing the eviction in the morning, the situation deteriorated, and a large group of people armed with lathis and bamboo sticks attacked the police and government officials. As a result, 22 police personnel and a revenue circle officer were injured. The police fired shots, leading to the deaths of two people and injuries to seven others."
"Sonapur is a tribal belt and block area, and the government had conducted the eviction drive against illegal encroachers," the chief minister added. (ANI)