Peaceful Protestors

Human Rights Defenders

Assam

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on January 11, 2019 regarding the open firing on peaceful protestors leaving one dead and six with serious bullet injuries.

Hundreds of unarmed indigenous people of Tripura gathered at National Highway 8 (NH-8) near Khumulwng to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016. At around 11 AM, police resorted to tear gas and lathi charge to disperse the crowd. Due to tear gas the protestors had already started to disperse. But in the meantime, several armed police were deployed and took charge. The armed police personnel started open firing in an insensitive way. One person was killed, six people were seriously injured and many sustained injuries due to police firing and brutality.

Tripura Students Federation claimed that the protest turned violent only after the instigation of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) supporters. They were seen visibly along with the police to create violence against peaceful protestors which ultimately lead to police firing. The protesters with bullet injuries were admitted in Autonomous District Council Hospital. It is also mention worthy that Superintendent of Agartala West seized the memory card of journalist Sony Debbarma from Kok Tripura TV (Local TV Channel), who was covering the whole incident.

HRDA prayed for thorough investigation and to take immediate actions on the perpetrators of the case.