Several public offices including PS burnt, ransacked; top cops rush to spot

ES Reporter 

Itanagar, Dec 11: A mob of around 400 people led by the All Yobin Students’ Union (AYSU) on Friday set ablaze offices of the Extra Assistant Commissioner, State Police Special Branch, post office and several other government offices in Vijoynagar in Changlang district and ransacked the police station to protest against filing of nomination papers for the PR elections by the former Assam Rifles personnel living there for decades.
Superintendent of Police, Changlang Mihin Gambo informed the media that the rampage occurred at around 8.30 am today by a mob who came from Gandhigram with daos, lathis, bows and arrows led by the union. Besides inflicting damages to the said public properties, they also damaged the civil helipad, Public Relations Officer of APP Rohit Rajbir Singh informed.  Additional force is being rushed to Vijoynagar to maintain law and order. DIGP TCL Kime Kaming, IGP Law & Order Chukhu Apa, SP(SB)  John Pada rushed to the spot by chopper to take control of the situation. Till filing of this report, there was no report of casualties and no arrest has been made. "They came from the nearby Gandhigram area. Armed with daos, sticks, bows and arrows, they set on fire the public properties demanding immediate fulfilment of their demands," Singh said. 
The demands of the protesters include cancellation of the rights of the former Assam Rifles personnel living in the area to take part in the upcoming PR elections and their immediate deportation from Vijoynagar. 
"The situation is tense but under control. Around 30 police personnel led by Changlang Superintendent of Police Mihin Gambo are presently camping in the area, while additional forces are being dispatched for maintenance of law and order," Singh said, adding that senior officers will camp in Vijoynagar for the next few days to monitor the situation.
Meanwhile, President AYSU Ngwazosa Yobin  has confirmed their involvement in the incident of burning of government infrastructure. “This is the consequence of the false assurance made by the state government and non-fulfillment of our three-year old demand regarding the removal of Panchayati Raj rights from ex-Assam Rifles settlers (non APST) in Vijoyanagar. Moreover, the government has also failed to respond to our demands and the 10-day ultimatum given by us,” he stated through a press statement. AYSU is demanding cancelation of Panchayati rights extended to the ex-servicemen settlers comprising Assam Rifles personnel and their early deportation from Vijoynagar.

Vijoynagar, which is yet to be connected by roads from other areas, is the remotest circle of Changlang district surrounded on three sides by Myanmar. The circle consists of 16 villages having a population of over 4,000 people, official sources said. While 55 per cent of the population belong to retired Assam Rifles personnel, the remaining 45 per cent comprises people of the Lisu, also known as Yobin, tribe. The settlement of the Assam Rifles personnel began from 1961.
Several students' bodies of the state opposed the participation of the former Assam Rifles personnel in the December 22 PR polls, which prompted the State Election Commission to defer the poll in Vijoynagar, with apprehension of breakdown of law and order in the area.
As there is no road connection, people of the area are dependent on military helicopters for essential services and requirements. Miao is the nearest town to Vijoynagar which is 157 km away. With PTI inputs

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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