Bodos, Muslims flee violence-hit areas in Assam

KOKRAJHAR: Bodos and Bengali-speaking Muslims continued to flee their homes in western Assam on Saturday even as eight more bodies were found, taking the number of people killed by the rebels since Thursday to 32. Officials said no fresh attacks were reported in the last 24 hours. Curfew was relaxed for four hours in Kokrajhar from noon on Saturday. Officials said the eight villagers, whose bodies were found, were shot dead by Bodo militants on Friday in Baksa district. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi said about 300 people from both the communities had taken shelter at relief camps. Gogoi requested Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde for special units of CRPF. Personnel from BSF and other central forces were deployed in vulnerable pockets to prevent an outbreak of ethnic violence between Bodos and Bengali Muslims like in July 2012. Army personnel staged flag marches at various places. "Ten more companies of central forces are arriving soon," Gogoi said. Despite the government's efforts to stop people from fleeing out of fear, 25 Bodo families fled to Kokrajhar from Fakiragram in Muslim-dominated Dhubri district. Bengali Muslims, too, were seen heading towards Dhubri district carrying their belongings. Defence PRO Col S Newton said, "The army was deployed in Dhubri district on Saturday. Dhubri has remained peaceful so far." On Friday, the army was deployed in Kokrajhar and Baksa districts -the scene of the bloodshed on Thursday and Friday - where Bodos are more in number. "There has been no violence in Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District areas. Eight people have been arrested in Kokrajhar and 14 in Baksa district in connection with the killings," said additional DGP (Assam Police) A P Raut. "This is not an ethnic clash but planned killings by National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit faction) with support from some locals," he added. The outfit issued a statement denying its involvement in the killings.