Kokrajhar, June 28: The Absu’s Chirang district committee today staged a three-hour dharna on the premises of Bijni SDO, demanding an end to harassment and atrocities on civilians by security forces in the name of counter-insurgency.

Hundreds of Absu workers and local residents, holding placards, festoons and banners, participated in the dharna. They later submitted a memorandum to the civil administration.

The Absu alleged that army personnel had gone to the house of Janabir Basumatary, general secretary of the Auxiguri unit of Absu, late on Thursday evening and manhandled him in the name of searching for militants.

The same day a woodcutter Biren Daimary, 28, was shot dead allegedly by jawans of Sashastra Seema Bal posted at Dholadhola under Bijni police station in Chirang district.

The union demanded that such atrocities in the name of counter-insurgency should be stopped.

They demanded investigation into the incidents and punishment of the guilty involved in the killings.