M A I N   N E W S

NIA to probe Assam attacks; toll rises to 32
Manmohan promises steps to restore peace

Guwahati/New Delhi, May 3 
Security personnel today recovered nine more bodies from the violence-hit Bodo-dominated areas of Assam, taking the toll to 32. The state government has decided to hand over the probe to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). 

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the "cowardly" terror acts and said the Centre will take all measures to restore peace in Assam's Bodoland Territorial Administration Districts. The PM, who is keeping a close watch on the situation, spoke to Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and directed them to take urgent steps to restore normalcy in the disturbed areras, the PMO said.

The nine bodies - four children and two women - were recovered from Khagrabari village under Salbari sub-division adjacent to the Manas National Park in Baksa district, official sources said. The mayhem started on Thursday when heavily armed NDFB-S militants shot dead three members of a family near Ananda Bazar area in the same district. This was followed by firing by insurgents at Balapara-I village in neighbouring Kokrajhar district yesterday which left eight persons dead and several others injured.

Last night, 12 bullet-riddled bodies, including those of five women and a child, were recovered from Nankekhadrabari and Nayanguri villages in Baksa district where nearly 100 houses and a wooden bridge were set ablaze by the ultras.

The police fired in the air after a mob armed with spears and sticks tried to set ablaze a forest range office at Basbari in Baksa district this morning, sources said. This led hundreds of people to flee their homes with some taking shelter in two relief camps. Of the four districts in the BTAD Baksa, Kokrajhar Udalguri and Chirang, the first two were affected. "Let the NIA investigate who is involved. Those responsible for the violence would not be spared,” Gogoi said after a Cabinet meeting. "I want to coordinate with Bhutan. The militants after committing the crime may have fled to the neighbouring country. If the NIA comes, then this can be done," Gogoi said. In New Delhi, the PM said the Central and state governments will take all steps to restore normalcy in the affected areas. — PTI

Modi triggered it: Omar

In Assam, 30 Muslims were murdered. Why? Because Narendra Modi made a speech there and tried to incite people against Muslims. This is a fact. This truth cannot be denied
—Omar Abdullah, j-k cm

Security beefed up

Security arrangements have been tightened in the state. Nine Army columns have been deployed and patrolling is going on, said Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth. 20 companies (approximately 2,000 personnel) of Central forces have been made available to the state and additional companies will be sent soon.