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Guwahati violence: Assam admits intelligence failure, orders probe

Protestors of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), agitating against eviction of encroachers, clashed with the police yesterday, leaving three dead and over 60 injured.

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Admitting to intelligence failure in anticipating the large-scale violence which left three dead, the Assam government today ordered a probe into the incident and has promised action within 3-4 days.

"Yes, there was failure of intelligence and police, the deputy commissioner failed to anticipate such large-scale violence," senior ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and Rockybul Hussain said.

Announcing that a committee under additional chief secretary Surajit Mitra has been formed to probe the matter and which will submit its preliminary tomorrow, they said action will be taken within the next three or four days.

Chief minister Tarun Gogoi will go through the video footage of the incident, they added.

"The police and deputy commissioner failed to anticipate when they gave permission for the rally, but at the same time the rallyists had given assurance to the administration that it would be peaceful. This is also a breach of trust", Sarma said.

Protestors of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), agitating against eviction of encroachers, clashed with the police yesterday, leaving three dead and over 60 injured.

The ministers said the background of organisations proposing to hold rallies will now be examined before giving permission in future.

They said the chief minister held a high-level meeting earlier in the day with state director general of police and top officials besides senior ministers.

Asserting that the government would not talk to those responsible for yesterday's violence, Sarma said another committee has been formed under the chairmanship of former minister Dr Bhumidhar Barman to decide the future of people staying in forest and revenue lands since a long time.

The ministers said the eviction drive has been stopped and the entire process will be reviewed after the committee, which would also have members of the civil society, submits its report within a month.

However, the ministers made it clear that the government will not allow settlement on wastelands and water bodies but those who had been staying in the hills would be considered.

Forest minister Hussain said there would be a 1000-strong Guwahati hill protection battalion to protect forest areas from encroachers.

On the police handling of the situation yesterday, the ministers were of the view that in future before deployment their capacity of handling rioting would have to be considered.

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