The Assam government had blocked mobile internet access in two Karbi Anglong districts after new violent incidents amid a drive to evict people, officials said. This move was arrived at because of the conflict that arose between various groups, and a lot of the concern was based on the issue of safety to the general population and the dissemination of false information over the internet through social networking sites.
Violence Explodes in Eviction Drill
On an eviction exercise by district authorities in some regions of Karbi Anglong, the land ownership and settlement issues led to violent clashes between the locals. The law enforcers responded in a timely manner as officials affirmed that the situation was swift and that there were reports of stone-pelting and destruction of property by people.
Security officials were deployed in strategic locations to prevent further occurrences, as senior officials in the administration hurried to the affected locations to assess the situation on the ground.
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Internet Disconnection to stop Rumours
The government had suspended mobile internet services in the districts of West Karbi Anglong and East Karbi Anglong, claiming the necessity to prevent the popularization of rumours, provocative materials and misinformation that may contribute to further unrest. The shutdown will only be limited to mobile data services and voice calls and SMS services will still be working.
According to officials, similar preventive actions proved successful in the past during the periods of increased tension as a result of which the security agencies were able to take the volatile situation under control.
Review of Law and Order Situation Administration
District administrations are closely keeping track, police patrolling more dangerously weak localities, holding flag marches there. One of the senior officials said that the eviction drive was being done according to legal processes and court orders, but that local opposition has made the process a little simpler.
The government has urged people to be peaceful and cooperate with the government and promised that their grievances could be tackled through dialogue and legitimate means.
Local Concerns and Political Reactions
There have been political responses to the incident, with the Opposition parties condemning the eviction push and demanding that the issue of displacement be approached more sensitively. The leaders of local communities have called on the administration to make sure that there is rehabilitation and open forums to prevent confusion.
The people in the concerned districts were worried about the frequent unrest associated with land conflicts, stating that a long period of uncertainty has increased tension among various groups.
Situation Under Control, Says Government
The state officials explained that the law-and-order situation is already under control. However, it is still necessary to block the internet until the authorities are sure that all tensions will be eliminated. The timing of the shutdown will be evaluated regularly in accordance with ground analysis.
Assam government again reiterated that internet curbs were just a precautionary action meant to restore order. This situation is likely to change, with further updates to be made as peace-building efforts proceed in the region.
