September 23, 2021: Assam government has ordered an inquiry into the killing of 2 civilians and the firing incident at Dhalpur area of Sipajhar in Darrang district.

Several policemen were also injured. The inquiry would be conducted under the chairmanship of a retired Judge of Gauhati High Court, the government order said.

Earlier in the day, violent scenes were witnessed at No 3 Dhalpur area where the government was conducting an anti-encroachment drive. Over 800 families were evicted as the government tried to regain around 4,500 bighas of government land from encroachers for an agriculture project.

In one footage police brutality was caught on camera when several policemen and a photojournalist was seen thrashing a man who was armed just with a stick. He was seen being beaten up by the policemen and the photojournalist trampled on him and punched him even as the man lay motionless on the ground.

Initially the locals staged strong protests against the eviction drive but later hundreds of villagers came out armed with sticks and charged towards the policemen who were in riot gears armed with rifles and sticks.  The police resorted to lathi charge, firing tear gas shells and even firing in the air to disperse the crowd.