Four held as mob vandalises police vehicles, injures officers in Hojai’s Digholbali
Several officers & female SI were injured; CRPF & additional forces were called in, leading to lathi charge & blank firing
A screengrab of a video showing police personnel at the site of clash (Photo - Afzal Rahman / Meta)
Hojai, August 13: At least four people have been detained after a violent clash in Assam’s Hojai district, where more than 100 armed locals attacked police personnel in Digholbali on Tuesday night, injuring several officers, including a female sub-inspector.
According to the investigating officer, weapons used in the attack have been seized. “We are investigating the case thoroughly. Four persons have been detained for questioning,” the officer told the press.
Police said the incident stemmed from a long-standing dispute over a patch of forest land where illegal sand mining is allegedly rampant.
Trouble flared when an excavator, reportedly hired by a man named Bijesh, was brought to the site for sand extraction.
Locals allegedly intercepted the machine, assaulted the driver, tied him to a pole, and beat him severely.
Bijesh lodged a complaint at the Hojai police station, prompting officers to rush to the area to rescue the driver and recover the excavator.
Upon arrival, the police were surrounded by a large mob armed with sharp weapons and attacked without warning.
Three police vehicles were vandalised in the ensuing violence. CRPF personnel intervened with lathi charges and blank firing to disperse the attackers.
“They targeted whoever they saw, without hesitation,” a senior police officer told the press. Several policemen were injured in the assault.
Additional forces from Nagaon joined the operation, while senior officials — including Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Akhilesh Singh, the Nagaon SP, and a senior West Karbi Anglong officer — visited both the clash site and Hojai police station.
IGP Singh said the case was being investigated with “utmost seriousness” and warned that anyone found spreading rumours, including those related to eviction, would face strict action.
The injured excavator driver is undergoing treatment at a hospital, while many locals have fled the area fearing police reprisals.
Authorities are now working to identify all those involved in the attack and to restore peace in Digholbali.