Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 13 Dec: At least 24 people from Hozulu and Dowdi villages were reportedly arrested on Sunday in connection with the violence which took place in Vijaynagar in Changlang district on Friday.
A mob had burned down the EAC office, the post office and the Special Bureau (RAW) office, and ransacked the Vijaynagar police station on Friday. Official sources informed that four locally-made firearms were also seized when the arrests were made. The rounding up of the alleged accused was led by IGP (Law & Order) Chukhu Apa and Changlang SP Mihin Gambo.
Apa, assisted by Gambo and Additional SP Shivendu, raided Hozulu village and arrested 24 persons and seized three muzzle-loading guns and one prohibited .22 air gun. Four women were also identified but they were let go after relevant information had been obtained from them. They will be produced at the Vijaynagar police station by their guardians on Monday.
Hozulu village is 7 kms from Vijaynagar.
The mob was allegedly led by the All Yobin Students’ Union. Members of the union along with 400 youths and others marched from Gandhigram village (20 kms off Vijaynagar), which is considered the main centre of the Yobin community.
The agitated mob was demanding immediate debarment of ex-Assam Rifles settlers in Vijaynagar from participating in the panchayat election, and shifting of the settlers out of Vijaynagar.
Sources informed that reinforcements have been sent to Vijaynagar to maintain law and order, and that additional CRPF platoons have been deployed in Vijaynagar. Two magistrates on special duty are also stationed at Vijaynagar to deal with any situation.
The sources said that the situation is tense but under control.
Reportedly, five separate FIRs were registered against specific individuals, based on local information and video evidence, for indulging in arson and damaging public properties.
The Changlang district administration has said that strict action will be taken against those who vandalized government properties and took the law into their own hands, and that innocent people will be protected by the administration and the police.
The administration also stated that those who instigated the local youths would be dealt with as per the provisions of the law. Section 144 CrPC has been enforced in Vijaynagar circle.
Changlang DC Dr Devansh Yadav appealed to all citizens to respect the law. He further urged all community leaders to cooperate in resolving the situation peacefully, stating that people need to be united against antisocial elements to maintain peace and communal harmony in the district.
Our correspondent adds: Several organizations, including the United Miao Mission (UMM) and the Miao Singpho Ramma Hpung (MSRH), have condemned the violence perpetrated by the All Yobin Students’ Union.
Terming the violence undemocratic and uncalled for, the UMM and the MSRH in a joint statement said, “There are many democratic ways to pressurize the government, but taking the law into one’s own hand is highly condemnable.”
The joint communiquæcopy; urged the Yobin and the Gorkha communities of Vijaynagar to “cooperate with the district administration unconditionally by maintaining peace and tranquillity in the valley.”
It also urged the district administration to ensure that the lives of the common public are not disturbed in the near future.
