Indefinite curfew was clamped from 7.30 tonight in Mancachar and adjoining areas in Assam's Dhubri district along Meghalaya and Bangladesh border following violence in which two police men were injured and a police vehicle was set ablaze.
Trouble began Friday when people from the Garo Hills in Meghalaya crossed the Kanu river and came to Mancachar for shopping. People from this side allegedly beat some of them after an altercation, official sources said.
The next day, when people from Mancachar went to border village Monabari in Meghalaya, locals allegedly beat them up in a "retaliatory move".
Following the incident, a 'bandh' was observed in Mancachar yesterday and an indefinite economic blockade was later imposed, preventing movement of essential items to Meghalaya through the area.
Tension escalated today when a body was found floating on the river Kanu and Meghalaya police did not allow it to be taken away, the sources said.
Accusing Assam Police men, who arrived there, of failing to ensure recovery of the body, some people attacked the police injuring two and set ablaze the vehicle of the sub-divisional police officer.
To prevent deterioration of the situation, Dhubri district Deputy Commissioner Kumud Chandra Kalita imposed indefinite curfew from 7. 30 pm in Mancachar and its adjoining areas.
