HT Bureau
Guwahati, June 14 : Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday confirmed that 38 individuals were arrested in Dhubri following a flare-up of communal tensions, prompting authorities to impose night-time shoot-at-sight orders in the sensitive border district.
In a post on social media platform X, Sarma stated, “38 arrested overnight in the Dhubri beef head incident.”
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The controversy erupted after a cow’s head was discovered outside a Hanuman temple in Dhubri town on Eid, June 7.
The situation escalated the following day when a similar act was repeated, leading to clashes.
Following the violence, the state government transferred Dhubri Superintendent of Police Navin Singh.
Hailakandi SP Leena Doley has been appointed as his replacement, according to an official notification issued Saturday.
Sarma, who visited the affected areas on Friday, said night-time shoot-at-sight orders were issued as a preventive measure against further unrest.
He alleged that a radical group named ‘Nabin Bangla’ was behind attempts to destabilise the region, including putting up posters calling for Dhubri’s merger with Bangladesh.
Prohibitory orders were enforced in the town on June 9 but were lifted the next day after a relative calm returned.
The Dhubri district, which borders Bangladesh, has seen a rise in communal sensitivities, with the state government asserting that strict measures will be taken to preserve peace and integrity in the region.
Earlier, on Friday, CM Sarma issued a “shoot at sight” order in the Dhubri district for those who try to disturb communal peace and harmony in the locality.
Sarma, who visited Dhubri on Friday, told reporters here, “I have instructed the police to take strict action against those who try to create any disturbance towards upholding communal peace and harmony in the Dhubri district. If required, police will carry out ‘shoot at sight’ order at night towards miscreants to maintain a peaceful situation here.”
He also said, “Since last week, the law-and-order situation in Dhubri has been challenging. The day after Bakri Eid, some elements kept a severed cow head in front of a Hanuman Mandir. People from both communities thereafter met, and the peace committee also held discussions, and it seemed to have resolved. But the next day, another cow head was kept in the premises. Then there was a stone pelting incident too. Moreover, there were posters to include Dhubri as part of Bangladesh that were pasted here. A communal group has been active here to spread unrest, and we have adopted a zero tolerance policy against the same.”
