An Assam Rifles man was beaten up, six vehicles were set ablaze and a portion of the district collector's office was damaged by a mob in Nagaland's Kiphire town following firing by the force.
Hundreds of people converged yesterday at the police point and blocked roads to protest the alleged assault of three boys by Assam Rifles personnel on Sunday in Kiphire town, 250 km from Kohima, district officials said today.
The mob then marched towards the Assam Rifles camp and the DC's office and began pelting stones with the force personnel opening fire injuring four persons, the officials said.
The mob beat up an Assam Rifles man injuring him and set ablaze six vehicles, including four of the district administration and one belonging to force besides partially damaging a portion of the DC's official residence, they said.
The situation was controlled by the police, the district administration and tribal leaders, sources said.
Home Minister G Kaito Aye told reporters today that though tension prevailed, the situation was under control.
Aye said that a magisterial committee has been constituted to inquire into the circumstanced leading to the situation since Sunday evening.
The government will take action after the committee submits its report in a few days, he said.
The minister appealed to the people of the area and the security forces to maintain calm and restrain themselves.
MLAs from the district C Kipili Sangtam and T Torechu urged the people not to take the law into their own hands but to repose faith in the district administration for redressal of their grievances.
