Fresh incidents of violence in Assam

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Fresh incidents of violence were on Tuesday reported in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts even as clashes between Bodo tribals and minority immigrants spread to Bongaigaon district.

Police said indefinite curfew was on in Kokrajhar district while night curfew would continue in Chirang and Dhubri districts. 21 people have been killed in the ethnic violence.

Thousands of people have been rendered homeless with most of them taking shelter in government-run relief camps in Kokrajhar while in Chirang they have taken shelter in schools and local club buildings.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has directed senior ministers Nilamani Sen Deka and Prithivi Majhi to rush to Kokrajhar on Tuesday while an all-party delegation is scheduled to visit the troubled areas on Wednesday.

The violence was triggered by the firing on two student leaders who were critically injured – Mohibul Islam of All Bodoland Minority Students' Union (ABMSU) and Abdul Siddique Sheikh of All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU) in Kokrajhar.

In a retaliatory attack, four former Bodo Liberation Tigers cadres were killed on Friday night in the district and this led to further attacks and counter-attacks resulting in the deaths.

Sources in Kokrajhar and Chirang district administrations said more than 50,000 villagers are taking shelter in various relief camps. In Kokrajhar district, nearly 40,000 victims have taken shelter in 35 relief camps set up by the government, while more than 10,000 victims have themselves taken shelter in various schools and government offices in Chirang as the government has not opened any official relief camp, official sources said.

Two senior ministers Rockybul Hussain and Nazrul Islam who are touring the troubled areas held a closed door meeting with officials of the affected districts.

Later talking to reporters, they appealed to the people to maintain communal harmony and assured that strict action will be taken against the miscreants.

"We are assuring from the government and the Bodoland Tribal Autonomous Districts (BTAD) side that all steps will be taken to provide security to the people of all communities. There is no need to panic," Hussain said.

Train service in the northeast has been adversely affected due to the ongoing violence in BTAD area in lower Assam, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said on Monday.

"In view of the serious law and order situation in lower Assam, running of trains have been affected and passengers are stranded in various stations," NFR chief public relation officer S. Hajong said on Monday, adding efforts are on to resume services.