38 arrested overnight in Dhubri for multiple offences amid communal tensions
During his visit to the district on Friday, Sarma made it clear that individuals with non-bailable charges or past criminal records would also be arrested;
Guwahati, June 14: In a swift crackdown following rising communal tensions in Dhubri, Assam Police arrested 38 individuals overnight after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma issued shoot-at-sight orders in the district.
The arrests were made in connection with back-to-back incidents of cow heads being dumped in front of a temple, as well as other criminal activities, according to officials.
Chief Minister Sarma announced the development through a post on social media on Saturday morning.
He had visited Dhubri on Friday and reviewed the law-and-order situation in the wake of a spate of communal provocations in the region.
During his visit, the Chief Minister made it clear that individuals with non-bailable charges or past criminal records would be apprehended.
"Those who have non-bailable cases registered against them and those with a history of criminal activities will be arrested by the police," he had said.
Security deployment in the district has been intensified, with units of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) now on the ground.
The move comes amid a series of communal flashpoints that have emerged since Bakri Eid, including instances of stone pelting and the appearance of alleged "pro-Bangladeshi" posters in the area.
Meanwhile, in a significant administrative reshuffle, Leena Doley, formerly the SSP of Hailakandi, was transferred to Dhubri as the new district police chief on Friday evening.
She replaces Navin Singh, who has been moved to the CID, Assam, as Senior Superintendent of Police (Organised Crime), replacing Amitava Sinha.
Earlier this week, the Chief Minister had expressed grave concern over the rising use of beef as a communal provocation.
“Beef is being weaponised in Assam,” Sarma said on June 10, calling the deliberate dumping of cow meat in public spaces a “calculated attempt” to inflame religious sentiments and destabilise communal harmony.
He warned that such acts, if left unchecked, could set a dangerous precedent and weaken Assam’s long-standing social fabric.