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Dhubri, Sept. 18: Curfew in the time of Vishwakarma Puja is a first in Dhubri in recent memory.
The curfew first imposed on July 23 after the violence in the BTAD spilled over in neighbouring Dhubri district. However, the situation was promptly brought back to normal with imposition of night curfew from 10pm.
The curfew was re-imposed on September 8 albeit with relaxations after the incidents of burglary and damage to an idol.
Though it was relaxed from 6am to 10pm in all the towns of Dhubri district, in Dhubri town, curfew was imposed from 6pm to 6am. Even during Vishwakarma Puja, the timing was not changed.
Senior advocate and president of Asam Sahitya Sabha’s Dhubri district unit, Giasuddin Ahmed, said the move was required as the district administration still felt that situation was not normal.
Ahmed, conceding that day-to-day activities have been totally paralysed, said the district administration should not take any chances.
“However, if the situation gradually becomes normal, the period of relaxation could be extended,” Ahmed said.
Dhubri district unit president of Asam Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad, Alok Bardhan, said imposition of curfew since September 8 had caused immense problems to the people.
“People who come to Dhubri have to return by 5pm as buses or any other transport cannot be availed after that. People have to endure 12 hours locked inside their houses,” Bardhan said.
Bardhan said the Dhubri district administration should review the law order situation of Dhubri town and rethink about extending the period of relaxation.
Apart from the inconvenience caused by the curfew, trade and business have been badly hit by the disturbances, coupled with soaring prices of essential commodities.
A prominent businessman of Dhubri town, Mahendra Kumar More, who deals in wholesale grocery items, resented the fact that profit has nearly halved since July.
Dhubri additional superintendent of police Prasanta Dutta said law and order was improving and under control as there was no fresh incidents since last week.
“We will review the situation tomorrow and decision regarding relaxation in curfew period will be taken,” Dutta said.
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