The Sikkim government on Monday banned the gathering of four or more persons in Singtam after violence broke out during a rally of the Joint Action Committee on Saturday, reported PTI.

Joint Action Committee general secretary Keshav Sapkota was also injured in the attack by unidentified miscreants.

The Joint Action Committee, or JAC, is spearheading a protest against a Supreme Court verdict in January which held that Indians who had settled in Sikkim on or before April 26, 1975 – the date on which the state merged with India – will be entitled to be exempt from income tax.

The order came on a writ petition by the Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim that had challenged the definition of “Sikkimese” under Section 10 (26AAA) of the Income Tax Act.

The association had argued that the exclusion was discriminatory and contravened the fundamental right to equality guaranteed by the Constitution. The court held that the benefit of the tax exemption should be extended to all Indian citizens domiciled in Sikkim.

Explainer: Why a Supreme Court verdict has sparked statewide protests in Sikkim

On Saturday, JAC Vice President Passang Sherpa accused the Sikkim government of orchestrating the attack on Sapkota, reported East Mojo.

“The kind of attack that we had today in the gathering, shows the government or the party in power is determined against the JAC,” Sherpa said. “They may kill, murder or do anything to our members.”

Sherpa said that members of the JAC were chased and many of them are missing from Singtam’s gathering.

“This is an example of lawlessness in Sikkim, the law and order are not with the administration or the police, the law and order have gone to the goons,” he added. “Goons are ruling the state.”

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police Tenzing Loden Lepcha said that police have filed two cases in connection with the violence and added that three persons have been arrested, according to PTI.