Guwahati, December 11: Amid violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019 across Assam, curfew imposed in the state capital Guwahati was extended indefinitely on Wednesday evening. Initially, curfew was imposed in Guwahati till 7 am on Thursday. However, curfew has been extended indefinitely to control deteriorating law and order situation, Assam Police Director General Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta told news agency PTI. Mobile Internet Services Suspended in Assam For 24 Hours.

Protests broke out in several parts of Assam on the day the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was being hotly debated in the Rajya Sabha after its passage by the Lok Sabha. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which has already been approved by Lok Sabha, proposes to give citizenship to Hindus, Christians, Parsis, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs facing religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Tens of thousands of agitators hit the streets, clashing with police and plunging the state into chaos of a magnitude unseen since the violent six-year movement by students that ended with the signing of the Assam accord. Police fired tear gas shells and baton-charged protesters. Mobile internet services have been suspended in Lakhimpur, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Kamrup (Metro) and Kamrup districts of Assam.

Due to the violent protests by the residents over CAB 2019, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was stuck at Guwahati airport, the CMO informed. One column of the Indian Army was on standby in the state.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 11, 2019 07:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).