Assam police are set to probe the conspiracy angle that led to the violent confrontation between alleged illegal settlers and the police in an Assam village on Thursday afternoon that left two dead and 35 injured and has also triggered a war of words between the BJP-led state government and the Opposition Congress.

After a survey of the affected Kachutoli village, about 3km from NH 27 under Kamrup (Metro) district here, Assam DGP GP Singh said on Friday they have a feeling “there was some kind of conspiracy” or else why would an eviction drive progressing peacefully for three days since Monday suddenly turned violent on Thursday afternoon. Everything will be unearthed during the investigation.

Till Thursday, 248 bighas were evicted, affecting 151 families and 300 houses, he said.

“We carried out the eviction as per rules in a notified tribal belt declared in 1950 where only a protected class of people are allowed to reside. We made public announcements for seven days about the drive.... However, a section armed with sharp weapons suddenly targeted the police on Thursday. Stones from the nearby railway track were also pelted at the police. Several vehicles were damaged.”

“Police was compelled to use force.... Two civilians were injured, of which two have died. I have asked the police commissioner to register a case and find out if there is any conspirator or if there is an instigator. How could an eviction which was progressing peacefully for four days suddenly become illegal? I have a feeling that there is a conspiracy, there is an instigator behind what happened yesterday. I have also directed the state railway police to register a case and investigate because railway property (stones) was misused. Was there an attempt to damage the railway? Our feeling is there was a conspiracy,” Singh said.

In the violent clash, 22 government personnel, including policemen, and 13 civilians were injured, of whom two passed away. The deceased included Zubahir Ali, 19 and Haidar Ali, 22.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday blamed the Opposition Congress for the attack on the government personnel.