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Communal clashes in Assam

Guwahati: Miscreants on Sunday set ablaze over 40 houses and fired indiscriminately, injuring at least six persons, in Sonitpur district of Assam as communal tension gripped northern Assam districts of Darrang, Udalguri and Sonitpur. There have been clashes between the Bodos and Muslims over the past three days.

Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma and Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain left for the affected areas to take stock of the situation. They urged the people not to panic.

Principal Secretary (Home) Subhas Das told The Hindu that additional police and paramilitary personnel were sent to the affected places. Inspector-General of Police (Law and Order) Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta is camping in the area and monitoring the situation.

Mr. Das said rumours added to the tension and peace committees had been formed to bring the situation under control. The clashes started on August 14 after the killing of a person. Seven people were injured in a communal clash at Routa in Udalguri district during a bandh called by the Muslim Students Association.

Tension mounted in the three districts after the killing of a couple in lower Assam’s Chirang district on Friday by four persons at Anthaibari village under the Bengtol police station. One person, who was attacked by a mob at Gelabil in Udalguri, died of his injuries on Saturday night.

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