Bandh supporters burnt tyres on highways and torched a truck in Dibrugarh district. In Guwahati, normal life was affected with AGP supporters damaging two Assam State Road Transport Corporation buses. AGP workers staged protests in many places in the city.
Inter-district and inter-state long distance bus services did not run. But flights and train services remained unaffected. Shops and business establishments were shut throughout the day, and attendance was thin in government offices.
The bandh was called by the All Adivasi Student Association of Assam (AASAA) and supported by various Adivasi organisations. The AGP Yuva Parishad also called a bandh.
According to a report, NDFB(S) militants lobbed a grenade at SSB personnel and exchanged fire with them in Chirang district along the Indo-Bhutan border, but no one was hurt.
Thousands of protestors gathered at Chowkidinghee area of Dibrugarh town and staged a dharna. Tea-garden workers took out rallies from different tea gardens in Dibrugarh district. Protesters also blocked NH-37 in Bokul and Lahowal. A few shops were damaged by protesters. Police detained a few bandh supporters, but released them later. Due to a road blockade at Mohanbari Tiniali, hundreds of passengers were left stranded at Dibrugarh airport for several hours.
About 15,000 protesters belonging to the Adivasi community hit the deserted roads of Biswanath Chariali in Sonitpur district. NH-15, which runs through a trouble-prone area of Sonitpur district, remained deserted with all business establishments and markets being shut. No public transport plied during the bandh.
These protesters held placards accusing the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government in the state of failing to protect the lives of commoners. The protesters, representing several tea tribe organizations, shouted slogans against Gogoi and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They accused the Centre and the state government of playing politics in the matter of their security and basic rights.
"We are being used as vote banks only," said Salgi Kirku, a protester. "However, this is the ultimate. The militants have killed our women and children. We are not backing out at any cost. Either the government provide us security or this will lead to bloodbath."
Two police officers were allegedly assaulted by protesters at Purbari under Gohpur police station during a road blockade protest. One motorcycle and a bus were also damaged.
"We share our solidarity with those who died in the massacre," said Bimal Borah, a trader at Biswantah Chariali town. "But bandhs and violence should end too. People in Assam are tired of such activities all the time. The government must act strongly to protect people's rights and lives. Militancy has been taking the state backwards."
Business has taken a major hit in the town and its adjoining areas since violence began on Tuesday evening.
Army spokesman Lt Col Suneet Newton said troops had intensified operations against NDFB(S) militants in violence-affected areas. Aerial surveillance of the areas was also carried out by Army helicopters, he said.
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