The Hailakandi administration in Assam on Monday extended the night curfew in the region by 10 more days, Northeast Now reported. The curfew was imposed after a Muslim man was killed and 14 people were injured in a communal clash in the area on May 10. It was then extended till Monday morning.
Hailakandi Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli had relaxed the curfew between 9 am and 3 pm on Monday based on inputs about the situation in the area. She discussed the situation with members of the local community, political leaders, police officials and organisations on Monday. Jalli said internet services will resume on Tuesday.
The local administration has vowed to punish the accused in the case and cautioned residents against falling prey to rumours. “Miscreants do not belong to any caste or community and their activities have to be put down with an iron hand,” she said. “The people of Hailakandi have been maintaining peace, communal harmony and brotherhood and will continue doing so come what may.”
Jalli said the administration will monitor social media sites and urged news publications to help prevent the spread of misinformation. The deputy commissioner said she will send a report about the damage caused by the violence to initiate the compensation process.
According to local reports, the tension in the region started when motorbikes owned by Muslim devotees were vandalised on Friday while they were praying inside a mosque. The motorbike owners lodged a first information report, and threatened to offer prayers on the road if action was not taken. “The other group tried to stop [them] and that led to an argument,” Mohneesh Mishra, Hailakandi’s police chief, had told Scroll.in.
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