Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that Assam is on "state-sponsored fire" after two persons were killed in police firing and nearly 20 injured during an eviction drive.
"Assam is on state-sponsored fire. I stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the state – no children of India deserve this," Gandhi said on Twitter.
Citing a news report, Gandhi stated that Assam policemen beat up protesters and many of them were injured. The protesters were opposing the eviction drive when policemen opened fire at them, the report claimed.
A public protest had erupted in Sipajhar in Darrang district over the demand for rehabilitation of nearly 800 families evicted from the land they were living on for decades.
Darrang Superintendent of Police Sushanta Biswa Sarma, younger brother of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, claimed the protesters, armed with sharp weapons, pelted the police personnel and others present with stones.
Police initially fired in the air to disperse the protesters but failed, forcing the men in uniform to fire at people, killing two and injuring at least ten others. Around 10 more, including policemen, were also injured in clashes.
