Guwahati: A CBI team on Thursday arrived in Assam to investigate into the riots in western Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD) and adjoining areas,which has claimed 77 lives so far and displaced over 4.50 lakh people.
CBI sources said a team of Special Director Saleem Ali and DIG Satish Golcha held extensive discussions with senior administration and police officials of the state here to assess the cases of violence which could be taken by the agency for a probe.
The state government had earlier recommended a CBI probe into the riots, especially the ‘conspiracy’ behind the riots and possible involvement of ‘external forces’.
Union Home Joint Secretary (North-East) Shambhu Singh also reached Guwahati on Thursday and was closetted in meetings with the officials on the current situation.
The specific cases will be finalised by the CBI team on their return to the national capital, the sources in Delhi said.
Local police had registered over 300 cases after clashes broke out on July 9 between Bodos and Bengali-speaking minorities.
After fresh incidents of violence were reported in lower Assam districts, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi decided to recommend a CBI probe. The CBI team would visit the ethnic violence-hit areas on Friday in lower Assam which remained incident-free on Thursday.
Meanwhile, no fresh incident of violence was reported from the disturbed BTAD and its adjoining areas since Wednesday night.
“Both external and internal forces are at work,” Gogoi had said without elaborating. He hoped the CBI probe would identify the forces behind the violence.
On Wedesday, four more bodies were recovered from the lower Assam districts of Kokrajhar, Baksa and Chirang taking the toll to 77 in the clashes.
“The situation in the riot hit areas is under control and there is no fresh incident. The army is conducting regular flag march in the affected areas,” Rout said.
Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde also made a reference to the CBI probe while replying to the debate on Assam violence in the Rajya Sabha.
“The government is taking this issue very seriously. A CBI team has gone there and an inquiry has started….I have instructed the Army to be alert,” he said. The Chief Minister has convened a special review meeting with top army, police, army and para military officials at his residence.
Nearly 1.30 lakh displaced people have so far returned to their villages and homes, though over 3.50 lakh were still sheltered in relief camps.
A Group of Ministers (GoM), formed by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and headed by state Revenue minister Prithibi Majhi, are camping in the affected districts to oversee relief and rehabilitation work. (Agencies)