Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday ordered “shoot-at-sight” directives to quell rising communal tensions in Dhubri town. The move comes after a deeply provocative incident in which suspected beef remains, including a cow’s head, were discovered at a Hanuman temple — a development that has ignited outrage and unrest in the communally sensitive region.
The Chief Minister arrived in Dhubri around 11 AM and immediately convened an emergency high-level meeting at the Circuit House with top police and district administration officials to take stock of the deteriorating situation. Hours before his visit, security was already tightened across key flashpoints in the town.
Speaking to the press following the review, Sarma confirmed that shoot-at-sight orders had been formally imposed in Dhubri town and would take effect by nightfall. He warned that authorities would respond with immediate force to any act of violence or lawlessness, including stone-pelting or attacks on public property.
“I have directed the police to arrest all known miscreants and habitual offenders without delay,” the Chief Minister said. “We will not allow Dhubri to become a breeding ground for communal violence or cross-border conspiracies.”
In a hard-hitting statement, Sarma alleged the hand of “fundamentalist forces from across the Bangladesh border” attempting to stoke unrest in Assam. He vowed to neutralize any such threats with an iron hand.
Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Sarma wrote: “What transpired in Dhubri during Bakri Eid and how are we responding to the situation? We are fully committed to ensure enforcement of Law and Order in the district and defeat all communal forces.”
The Chief Minister further claimed the emergence of a “new beef mafia” in Dhubri that had allegedly smuggled in thousands of cattle ahead of Eid, indicating a larger conspiracy at play. He assured that strict action would follow against all those involved in destabilising the region.
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