Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that “shoot-at-sight” orders that are currently in effect in the state’s Dhubri area will remain in force till the end of the Durga Puja festival.

The Hindu festival will be celebrated from September 28 to October 2.

The directive, which applies during the nighttime hours, was imposed on June 13 following incidents of communal unrest that broke out in Dhubri town, which is close to the border with Bangladesh.

Speaking on the sidelines of an event in Kokrajhar on Tuesday, Sarma clarified that “there is no unrest in Dhubri or incidents of violence, but the shoot-at-sight orders will continue during Durga Puja”.

“Anyone attempting to create unrest in Dhubri will face severe consequences,” the Bharatiya Janata Party leader warned.

On June 8, a day after Bakri Eid, communal tensions erupted in Dhubri after the remains of an animal were discovered near a Hindu temple.

The chief minister had claimed at the time that the animal remains found near the temple were part of the head of a cow.

“The day after Bakri Eid [on June 8], some persons kept a severed cow head in front of a Hanuman temple,” claimed Sarma. “Representatives of both the communities met thereafter, a peace committee meeting was held and the conflict seemed to have been resolved.”

The chief minister claimed that the next day, another animal head was found in front of the temple, which sparked violence.

Widespread protests broke out in Dhubri on June 8, with several residents blocking a road adjacent to the temple. They shouted slogans and burnt tyres as part of their demonstration.

They also prevented the police from removing the remains of the animal, insisting that it must remain untouched until “those responsible are identified and arrested”.

The situation was brought under control in two days, and more than 150 persons were arrested in connection with the violence.

Also read: Assam’s disturbing experiments in silencing dissent