The situation in Borjuli tea estate in Upper Assam’s Sonitpur district, where a clash occurred between police and garden workers on Saturday, was tense but under control on Sunday.

On Saturday evening, during routine patrolling in the garden area, the policemen noticed that a few locals were allegedly not following lockdown norms. The police had to resort to a lathicharge in which four persons were reportedly injured. Later, locals allegedly attacked the police team, injuring policeman Abdul Zaman.

No fresh clash was reported in the area under Rangapara police station on Sunday. The police have resumed patrolling and warned of strict action against those violating lockdown norms amid allegations by the tea community of highhandedness.

Tea garden leader Royal Surin claimed the police had “brutally attacked the locals”. He claimed before taking any action, the police should have informed the estate authorities. A woman labourer alleged the police had beaten up some men after forcibly entering their houses.

Assam Tea Tribes Students Association central executive member Ajay Tanti said the police action needs to be investigated but also said there should be no violation of the lockdown norms.

Sonitpur superintendent of police Mughdajyoti Mahanta said action was taken to control the people who had come out defying the lockdown norms. He said the police resorted to blank firing as the locals also pelted stones.

On the allegations of policemen entering houses, he said, “The country is in a lockdown due to a pandemic and the police have all the authority to control the situation by any means. We can enter private property as well if we find there is a violation of law.”

Mahanta said that patrolling was on to apprehend antisocial elements.

An official inquiry into the incident was yet to be announced.