M A I N   N E W S

Paramilitary forces rushed to Assam

Guwahati, November 20
The Centre has dispatched paramilitary forces to Assam to assist the state government in restoring normalcy as tension ran high amid reports of continuing sporadic attacks against Biharis that claimed one more life today, taking the toll to 30 in the ethnic violence.

Curfew remained in force at Nalbari, Tinsukia and Duliajan. The Army, called out yesterday after large-scale violence, continued its operations in disturbed areas.

Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Bihar RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav, asking them to take steps to ensure peace in the two states.

Mr Yadav said in Patna that the Prime Minister had assured them that more central forces would be sent to Assam to quell the anti-Bihari violence.

Describing the Assam situation as “a matter of grave concern”, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani told reporters in Bhopal that the Centre was in constant touch with Assam and Bihar Governments.

A Union Home Ministry spokesman said 600 BSF personnel had been dispatched to Tinsukia and Dibrugarh, the worst-affected by the violence since Tuesday night.

A Bihari labourer working at a brick kiln at Rongsul under the Doomdooma police station in Tinsukia district was killed and another injured in an attack by a group of 40-50 persons armed with knives and sharp edged weapons as sporadic attacks on Bihari people, torching of huts, arson and extortion continued, official sources said.

Kohima: The anti-Bihari sentiments have spilled over into Nagaland, where three persons from the community were assaulted at the Tinapati area here late on Wednesday. The incident occurred within a day of the Naga National Council issuing a directive to the Bihari community in the state to leave Nagaland immediately. — PTI, UNI