Tension flared in the Maijan area of Assam’s Dibrugarh district on January 2 after villagers attempted to stop police from taking custody of three men detained earlier on suspicion of cattle theft. The situation briefly escalated into a law-and-order concern, prompting police to fire warning shots in the air to disperse the crowd.
According to police officials, the incident unfolded in the early hours of the day when local residents, who had organised night patrols following a series of cattle thefts in the area, intercepted a car moving through the locality. Suspecting the occupants of being involved in theft, villagers detained the three men, seized their vehicle and informed the police.
When a police team arrived to formally take custody of the detained individuals for verification and investigation, sections of the local crowd allegedly resisted the move and attempted to block the police from leaving the area. As tensions mounted, police resorted to firing in the air as a preventive step to control the situation and ensure the safe evacuation of the men. No injuries were reported during the incident.
A senior police official said the firing was carried out purely as a precaution and not in response to any direct attack. He added that preliminary checks showed the three men were able to produce valid documents and credentials, and initial verification indicated that they were unlikely to be involved in any criminal activity.
Police said further inquiry is ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident. Additional security forces have been deployed in Maijan to maintain calm and reassure residents, as authorities continue to address public concerns linked to repeated reports of cattle theft in the area.
