Guwahati: The bloodle-tting refuses to end in Assam as seven more persons on Saturday perished in two separate incidents of violence, one in Chirang in BTC area and another in Dhemaji district, taking the toll up to 94 in the spell of violence that erupted on July 21 last.
Indefinite curfew has been imposed in the entire Chirang district on Saturday evening following murder of five persons. The five persons were killed and their bodies recovered at around 5:30pm on Saturday near Choudhurypara village under Bijni police station in Chirang district, under Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) area.
Two other bodies were found near village Nalbari under Simenchapori police station in Dhemaji district in eastern Assam.
Assam Police IGP (Law & Order) LR Bishnoi said in both the incidents the culprits belonged to the Bodo community.
Four persons, all of whom had returned from Karnataka two weeks ago following threats and rumours, have been arrested in connection with the incident in Dhemaji.
The deceased were going to take a ferry ride to cross Brahmaputra river when they had a quarrel with the culprits. The bodies were recovered from a marshy land.
The five persons who were killed in Chirang had gone out of a relief camp under Amguri outpost without informing the camp in-charge. They were travelling in a Tata Mobile vehicle.
Additional forces were rushed to the spot, Bishnoi said. The attacks came on a day when Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka urged the Northeast professionals and students, who had fled the southern state, to return and assured protection and job guarantee.
Ashoka, on a three-day tour of the North-East, said “There has been no major incident of violence in Karnataka. There have only been a few verbal threats.”
“Today I met many students and professionals here who have fled from Bangalore. I assured them of all protection,” he said.
Asked about their reaction, Ashoka said, “I am sure they will return. We are one nation and all of us are Indians.”
Ashoka, who met Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and briefed him about the steps taken by his government, said he was told that the state government was in touch with the railways and special train services arranged from Guwahati from September 1 to take back those who had fled.
“Karnataka is safe. We have already registered 17 cases and arrested 22 persons who had spread these rumours and sent out threats through SMS and MMS. Our police have also seized two PCs, one laptop and one mobile handset which were used for spreading the rumours and threats,” Ashoka said.
There are around 3.5 lakh northeast people in Karnataka, of whom 2.5 lakh resided in Bangalore. According to Karnataka government figures, a total of 34,627 persons left for their homes during the recent exodus.
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