Two persons, including a policeman, died in Cachar district in South Assam on Saturday after skirmishes over enforcement of the nationwide lockdown. Both the incidents occurred in Sonabarighat village, around 13km from Silchar town.

A jawan of Assam Industrial Security Force, Baktar Uddin Barbhuiya, died after the altercation. His wife alleged that Barbhuiya had been attacked by local residents although police claimed that he had succumbed to high pressure.

Local people alleged that Barbhuiya, a security guard in nearby Binnakandi tea garden, was returning from duty on Saturday morning and on the way, he got involved in a tussle with some persons in Sonabarighat market area over the opening of shops during the lockdown. He was allegedly beaten up and fell unconscious.

Local people came to the rescue of the jawan, who was in uniform, and took him to Silchar Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

A police team, led by superintendent of police, Manabendra Debroy, rushed to the spot immediately to control the situation. Barbhuiya’s wife alleged that after finishing duty in the tea garden, he had called her and said he was coming home after withdrawing cash from an ATM. After a few minutes he again called her and said he had been attacked and asked her to come and rescue him. She immediately rushed with their two sons and found him lying unconscious.

Debroy said the matter is being investigated and said the exact cause his death will be known after post-mortem.

Additional superintendent of police, Cachar, Jagadish Das, said five persons had been picked up for interrogation. A huge police force has cordoned off the area.

In another incident in the same area in the afternoon, a local resident drowned in a nearby river. Police went to close another market in Sonabarighat area when three local traders tried to flee and fell into the river. Police called SDRF, which rescued two of them, while Moinuddin Barbhuiya alias Pappu, drowned. Police are investigating the matter.

Superintendent of police, Hailakandi, Pabindra Kumar Nath, on Saturday said the police are closely monitoring the situation and taking all possible measures to enforce the lockdown in the district. Nath also pointed out that all the border roads leading to Mizoram have been sealed and the police are on the trail of some persons who sneaked into Assam through the inter-state border.

Forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya held a meeting with the deputy commissioner and other officials of Hailakandi district on preparations for the control of outbreak of coronavirus and enforcement of lockdown in the district.