GUWAHATI, May 25 ? The 12-hour Guwahati bandh against the eviction drive by the Forest Department against encroachers was marred by vandalism by a section of bandh supporters. The call for the bandh was given by the Brihatar Guwahati Ussedita - Nirjatita Gana Mancha, while, several political parties and organisations including the Left parties - CPI and CPM extended their support to the bandh.
The bandh turned violent in the Maligaon area of the city as the bandh supporters resorted to stone pelting on vehicles passing by that area, in which a number of cars, autorickshaws and two wheelers were badly damaged and the persons travelling by the vehicles received injuries. The bandh supporters brought out a protest procession against the eviction drive from near the Maligaon Railway station but as soon as the procession reached the main road in front of the headquarter of the NF Railway, the organisers of the procession lost control over the mob, which indiscriminately pelted stones or vehicles passing by. One police constable, who was the PSO of the Additional Superintendent of City police was seriously injured when he was hit by a stone, while, another youth travelling on a motorcycle received serous injuries when stone hit him and he fell down from the two wheeler. The broken glass pieces on the road bear the testimony of the damage caused to the vehicles passing by the area.
The policemen, who arrived at the scene immediately, had a tough time in controlling the situation as they faced a volley of stone pelting. However, later the police managed to chase away the mob. Police sources claimed that the policemen maintained utmost restraint as ?we do not want the situation to deteriorate further.? Police also arrested 251 persons, who were later released. Police also arrested eleven persons in the Fatashil Ambari area of the city.
Meanwhile, the bandh affected normal life in the city as they shops and business establishments remained closed all over the city, while, almost all modes of public transport stayed off the roads. Only a few autorickshaws plied on the city roads, while, most of the city buses stayed off the roads. The long distance buses originating from the city also did not ply, while, the schools also remained closed. Today being the fourth Saturday of the month, the State Government offices were closed.
Meanwhile, a delegation of the State unit of the BJP, led by its president Sri Rajen Gohain, today met the State Chief Secretary to discuss the issue of eviction by the Forest Department and demanded that such eviction drives should not be biased. The BJP delegation demanded that the indigenous people affected by the eviction drives should be rehabilitated and the Department should publish a map before the eviction. The BJP also demanded that steps should be taken to free the Kaziranga National Park and the satras from the grasp of the encroachers.