KarbiAnglong autonomous council polls were most peaceful ever

Guwahati: The recently held polls to sixth schedule area of KarbiAnglong autonomous council has been far the most peaceful.

The past elections in the hill district were marred by violence and insurgency activities.

In 2016 Assembly elections, police registered six cases which include one grenade blast in Diphu, threatening of a newspaper owner, demanding Rs 25lakh from official BJP candidate and three other incidents of clash.

Assam Additional Director General of police (Special Branch) Pallab Bhattacharya told ET, “In 2014 Parliamentary elections, seven cases were registered of which six were related to clashes and one was related to firing at election convoy vehicles at Uttar borbil.”

According to the police, in 2012 council polls, the district reported 16 incidents of group clashes. “There was Grenade blast at Chowkihola. Police party carrying ballot boxes were attacked at Duar Amla. Similarly in 2011 Assembly Elections around six cases were registered these were of group clashes. Around four CRPF Jawans were killed while doing area domination just before elections.”

In 2009 parliamentary polls, two IED blasts took place in railway. There was attack on two prominent leaders and a stone quarry owner was shot dead.

Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh who met Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday thanked the state government for conducting peaceful elections in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and urged the Chief Minister for initiating speedy implementation of development works at Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts.