M A I N   N E W S

Army patrols streets as Assam toll rises to 38
More villages burnt Eight fresh deaths reported
Bijay Sankar Bora/TNS

No Bangladesh hand in arson: Centre

New Delhi: The Centre has ruled out the hand of Bangladesh-based gangs in Assam violence. “The international border is sealed. It is simply impossible for any organised group from across the border to cross over and carry out the attacks,” Union Home Secretary RK Singh told reporters here.

Guwahati, July 25
With no let-up in Assam violence, the Army was deployed in the three riot-hit districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri on Wednesday. The death toll in the current communal flare-up has risen to 40.

Union Home Secretary RK Singh has asked the Assam Government to nab the “ring leaders” of both sides involved in the communal violence. The Home Ministry has deputed 2,000 Central security personnel to guard Assam-bound trains and railway tracks.

Singh said 2,500 paramilitary personnel had reached Assam to assist the local administration while 2,300 more men will reach the state tonight. "Another 15 companies (1,500 personnel) are on their way," he said.

Shoot-at-sight orders were issued in Chirang district. The visiting Joint Secretary, Home (N-E Affairs), Sambhu Singh, however, told the media in Kokrajhar that there was a slight improvement in the situation in violence-affected areas. He admitted that there were reports of fresh violence, but claimed that the situation was gradually being brought under control.

Bodo women walk through a relief camp at Kokrajhar, some 230km from Guwahati, on Wednesday. — AFP

Army spokesman Colonel NN Joshi said around 13,000 troops were deployed in the three districts this morning. They later conducted a flag march in Kokrajhar, Chirang. Dhubri and Bongaigon.

Despite deployment of forces, violence spread to new areas in Chirang district where more villages were burnt and three persons were shot dead by armed raiders. Curfew was relaxed for four hours in the morning in Kokrajhar town.

With the deployment of four additional companies of the Railway Protection Security Force, stranded passenger and goods trains at New Jalpaiguri Station in North Bengal started their onward journey to Assam at 3 pm today.

Northeast Frontier Railway spokesman SS Hajong said at least three trains, including two Rajdhani Express, have resumed their journey from the NJP station. He said additional RPSF men have been deployed along the violence-affected stretch between Gossaingaon and Kokrajhar railway stations. He said the decision about resumption of normal train services would be taken after proper assessment of the ground situation and available security arrangements.

The ongoing violence had disrupted rail services between Assam and the rest of the country, leaving 8,000 passengers stranded at New Jalpaiguri Railway Station in North Bengal.

‘Ensure safety of victims’

A joint forum of Muslims today asked the Centre to immediately intervene to put an end to “killings” by Bodos in Assam. The victims should be provided security and rehabilitation. The forum also demanded a judicial inquiry into rioting. Former Union Minister Ashraf Ali Fatmi said riots between Bodos and Muslims have been continuing for the last four to five days. “Lakhs of Muslims have become homeless. They are forced to live in camps but the government of Assam is not taking stern measures to control the situation,” said Fatmi.

(With inputs from Ajay Banerjee & Syed Ali Ahmed in New Delhi)