Guwahati/Tezpur, Dec 14 (UNI) The situation in Assam remained tensed but under control over anti-CAB protests, with indefinite curfew at Guwahati and Dibrugarh relaxed for several hours today, though peaceful protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act continued in different parts.
After nearly three days of violence and tension, life in Guwahati is limping back to normalcy as people came out since morning to buy essential commodities with curfew being relaxed from 0900 hours to 1600 hours today.
Long queues were seen especially in front of ATMs and petrol depots, with prices of essential commodities also reportedly rising due to low availability of stock and high demand.
Besides private vehicles, public buses also plied on the streets, though all educational institutions and offices remained closed.
In Dibrugarh town, curfew was relaxed from 0800 hours to 1400 hours today with no fresh incidents reported in the last 24 hours.
The indefinite curfew under Tezpur and Dhekiajuli police station areas in Sonitpur district was also relaxed from 0900 to 1700 hours, Sonitpur deputy commissioner Manabendra Pratap Singh said.
He said the administration won’t hinder any peaceful protest, but attempts to block roads or create law and order situation will be dealt with a firm hand.
Tinsukia and Jorhat remained under night curfew, while Army and Assam Rifles continued to assist civil administration in various parts to restore normalcy.
With local passenger trains remaining cancelled and long distance buses still off the roads, the state Transport department has made arrangements for stranded passengers.
The department has arranged for special buses from the Guwahati airport, railway station, ISBT depot at Guwahati, and also for people stranded at some important railway stations.
Internet services continue to remain suspended since the evening of December 11.
Meanwhile, protests against the CAB continued in different parts of the state.
Peaceful demonstrations were staged by students of Assam Agriculture University at Khanapara in Guwahati, civil society members at Jorhat and Lakhimpur, among other places.
Assam has been opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, that seeks to grant Indian citizenship to illegal Hindu, Parsi, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and Christian migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who had entered India prior to December 31, 2014, without any documents.
The Bill become an Act after President Ram Nath Kovind signed it yesterday.
However, people of North Eastern states, especially Assam and Tripura, are demanding its revocation as they fear being ‘overrun’ by non-Muslims from neighbouring Bangladesh.
UNI SG AND