Assam riots: Death toll rises to 32, more than 70,000 flee homes- Rajdhani attacked in Kokrajhar

Naresh Mitra & Simang Daimary, TNN | Jul 25, 2012, CHIRANG/KOKRAJHAR: With four rioters who defied curfew orders killed in police firing on Tuesday and nine more bodies recovered, the death toll in the five-day-old Bodo-Muslim violence in lower Assam districts rose to 32. Shoot-at-sight orders remained in effect for the second day in Lower Assam, and Kokrajhar town, an important trade hub, looked deserted. The situation was no different in Chirang's district headquarter, Kajalgaon.
Since Friday, when the orgy of violence began, more than 70,000 people have fled their homes, with at least 60 villages belonging to both Bodos and Muslims in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts reduced to cinders. The spiraling violence led to the cancellation of 11 trains that left around 20,000 passengers stranded in different places in the state.

In relief camps, overcast skies, billowing smoke, and pale faces of hundreds of people huddled in groups spoke of the scale of the human tragedy, inviting comparisons with the last time such killings had occurred, in 2008, when 60 people were butchered and more than one lakh displaced in the violence between rogue elements among Bodos and Muslims. Late Tuesday, inspector-general of police S N Singh confirmed 32 dead but other sources warned the toll could be higher and many wounded by either sickle or knife attacks or bullets could die in hospitals.  
Noor Jamal Mundul speaking to TOI from Amguri Higher Secondary School in Chirang district made a desperate plea for help. "More than 3,000 of us have taken refuge in a school. The Bodos have surrounded us from all sides. The Assam police are outnumbered and the Army and the SSB are not helping," said Mundul on phone.
Shahadat Ali (35) of Besorbari village in Chirang lost everything in the violence. It was a cloudy evening, when Shahadat, an auto-rickshaw driver, was preparing for Iftar with his family on Monday when a horde of violence-mongers gutted his house. "I could save nothing. We rushed to relief camps with empty hands," Shahadat said, his eyes blank. At least eight villages in Chirang, mostly belonging to Muslims, were gutted by Bodo miscreants on Monday. The arson continued until Tuesday, with more Muslim villages being attacked.

An army bullet-proof vehicle patrols a street

Tales of suffering are no less poignant from members of the Bodo community. Durga Basumatary of Malgaon in Kokrajhar ran for safety leaving behind her home and property, all of which is now gutted. She has no one to turn to for help and is disconnected with her family. Her village, Malgaon in Kokrajhar, was set afire by miscreants on Tuesday morning. About 50 houses were destroyed. Durga gasps for breath as she explains what she went through.
"We ran for our lives when our village was set ablaze. I didn't know where I was going when I left my village. My husband went in another direction," Durga wept.

An army bullet-proof vehicle patrols a street 

Like Shahadat, Muslims among the sufferers are sad about the rude interruption of Ramzan. And like them, the Bodos no longer see any joy in their upcoming post-harvest Nangalkrah celebration with their rice cultivation season ruined by the turmoil.
In Kokrajhar, more than 25 villages belonging to both Bodos and Muslims have been burnt down since Monday night. Tensions ran high in Sishubari of Chirang district till on Tuesday when miscreants armed with firearms and sharp weapons reached the banks of Huthoti river, which divides the Bodo and Muslim villages. A face-off was averted after both sides assured that they won't enter each other's villages.
"Both sides agreed not to enter cross the river. We are relieved after our discussions," said All Bodoland Minority Students Union (ABMSU) leader, Shahjahan Ali Ahmed.
While Sishubari is little relieved for the time being, other villages across Chirang and Kokrajhar live in fear. Outsiders are chased out and even journalists have been prevented from entering some villages.
Amid fear of attacks, people continued to rush to 116 relief camps in Chirang and Kokrajhar district on Tuesday. People also rushed out of Bodoland Territorial Council for safety. About 600 Bodos have taken shelter in Kajalgaon relief camps, while over 5,000 Muslims have left their villages in Chirang district.
As the violence continued, saner voices appealed for peace. "We've had enough bloodshed. We want peace among different communities," said Sopra Mushahary of Kokrajhar. ABMSU Chirang district president, Shah Kamal Khondekar, said, "We want an end to this violence as it helps no one."

Jagranpost, Guwahati, 24 July: Security forces on Tuesday shot dead four miscreants in Assam, taking the death toll in communal violence raging in two districts to 25, authorities said. 
An indefinite curfew remains in force in both Kokrajhar and Chirang districts.Inspector General of Polkice S.N. Singh said that 16 people had been killed in Kokrajhar district since July 19, when the trouble erupted.
Five were killed in Chirang district. "Four miscreants were gunned down by police in Kokrajhar today, taking the total death toll to 25," the officer said.
He said the situation in the region was tense, and added that additional security forces had arrived in the two districts.
According to official sources, the violence started after gunmen attacked two student leaders in Magurbari Thursday.
Following this, four former Bodo militants were shot dead on Friday.
The violence has also spread to Dhubri district bordering Bangladesh. Police opened blank fire Tuesday to contain unrest. In Dhubri, the administration has clamped curfew in some sensitive areas including Gouripur, Golakganj, Bilasipara and Chapar.More than 40,000 people have abandoned their homes and taken shelter in relief camps set up by the district administration.

Assam's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nilamoni Sen Deka and Revenue Minister Prithibi Majhi were deputed by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to visit the troubled spots.

Director General of Police Jayanta Narayan Choudhury reviewed the security scenario with the police officials.
The government Monday issued shoot-at-sight orders in Kokrajhar. Railway officials said the running of at least 30 trains in the state had been severely affected. All inbound and outbound trains were halted at various stations between Guwahati to Alipurduar.
ajdhani attacked
Fresh violence on Tuesday rocked the trouble-torn Bodoland Territorial Administered Districts in Assam where the Rajdhani Express was attacked by some persons even as the entire train services to and from the Northeast was hit.
Unidentified persons pelted stones and attacked the coaches of the Guwahati-bound Rajdhani Express at Gossaigaon in Kokrajhar district damaging four coaches, though there was no casualty or injuries, North East Frontier Railway sources said here.
The train has been turned back and halted at Kamakhyaguri station bordering West Bengal, but the authorities were considering to take it to Coochbehar

SNS,PTI, KOKRAJHAR/SILIGURI, 24 JULY: Violence continued unabated in the western Assam district of Kokrajhar even as four people were killed in police firing and seven in fresh clashes today. The Centre rushed 1,500 more paramilitary personnel to help control ethnic clashes which so far have claimed 32 lives.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called up chief minister Tarun Gogoi (in photo) during the day and directed him to do everything possible to control the violence, promising full cooperation. Mr Gogoi held a late night meeting and alleged that there was a political conspiracy to malign his government.

As violence and arson continued in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts, a 12-year old girl in the neighbouring district of Jalpaipuri in West Bengal was wounded in the leg by a stray bullet fired by CRPF personnel stationed in Assam. The situation was also tense in Bongaigaon and Udalguri districts. Bongaigaon and Udalguri fall under the Bodoland Territorial Areas District.

In Kokrajhar, shoot-at-sight orders have been issued and an indefinite curfew has been imposed and the Army deployed, while night curfew is in force in Chirang. “Four persons were killed in police firing this morning when they were indulging in violence in the Rampur and Chaparkata areas of Kokrajhar,” IGP, (BTAD), S N Singh said.

Prime Minister Singh spoke to Mr Gogoi and took stock of the situation. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Union home minister P Chidambaram also called up the chief minister. “The Prime Minister has directed him to do everything possible to control the situation and for relief and rehabilitation of the affected,” a PMO spokesperson said in Delhi.

State government sources said Mr Gogoi sought deployment of additional forces in the affected districts. “We have sent 29 companies. Fourteen companies we have sent yesterday. Fifteen more companies were sent today,” Union home secretary R K Singh said in Delhi.

Goons pelted stones and attacked the Guwahati-bound Rajdhani Express at Gossaigaon in Kokrajhar, damaging four coaches, though there was no injury. The train was turned back and was halted at Kamakhyaguri station bordering West Bengal, with the authorities considering to take it to Cooch Behar. An Eastern Railway Press release said, due to inordinate delay in the running of corresponding down trains, the 12345 Up Howrah-Guwahati Saraighat Express and the 15657 Up Sealdah-Guwahati Kanchanjungha Express will remain cancelled tomorrow.

At least 26 trains were cancelled and 31 stopped at different stations due to the violence in Assam, prompting railway minister Mukul Roy to seek enhanced security from Mr Chidambaram for the safety of over 30,000 passengers stranded midway.

According to a report from Jalpaiguri, CRPF personnel trying to control ethnic clashes at Srirampur village in Kokrajhar district fired in the air and one of the stray bullets hit Pampa Barman, a resident of Pakhriguri village in neighbouring Jalpaiguri, in the leg. The injured girl was admitted to Alipurduar hospital, where she is said to be out of danger. Official sources said people have started fleeing their homes in Assam and taking refuge in Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri. Jalpaiguri district officials have been asked to ensure that ethnic violence does not spread to Bengal.

msnnews, Kokrajhar (Assam): The ethnic clashes in South Assam have now claimed 19 lives. Two more bodies were recovered today in the violence in Assam's Bodoland Territorial Administered Districts (BTAD).
The bodies were recovered from the banks of river Gouranga this morning, officials said.
A mob of 100 people, meanwhile, stopped Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express. The train was stopped at Pratapkhat between Gosaigaon and Kokrajhar by people from nearby villages who alleged that their houses were damaged by miscreants when they moved to relief camps, IGP (BTAD) S N Singh said. All passengers are reported to be safe but tracks are still blocked.
Trains were controlled at different points as a result. An additional nine companies of paramilitary forces were deployed in the district while the army was assisting in maintaining law and order, Mr Singh said.
In Golokgunj and Gauripur in Dhubri district, police personnel fired in the air when the bandh supporters tried to forcibly close down shops during a 12-hour bandh, called by the All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU) to protest attacks on the minorities in BTAD districts, Superintendent of Police Pradip Saloi said.
Bandh supporters also ransacked the office of Bodoland Peoples' Front in Gauripur town.
Meanwhile, the BJP today decided to send a four-member team to ascertain the reasons for the clashes.
The AAMSU subsequently withdrew the bandh following an appeal by ministers.
Meanwhile, Assam Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Nazrul Islam reached Kokrajhar and appealed to people to maintain peace and calm and not heed to rumours.
Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Bhubaneswar Kalita urged the state government to take measures to curb the violence and directed party workers to form peace committees and take out peace rallies.
A five-member committee of the APCC left for Kokrajhar and Chirang districts to assess the situation and help in restoring peace.
The violence was triggered with the firing on two student leaders who were critically injured - Mohibul Islam of All Bodoland Minority Students' Union (ABMSU) and Abdul Siddique Sheikh of All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU) in Kokrajhar.
In a retaliatory attack, four former Bodo Liberation Tigers cadres were killed on Friday night in the district and this led to further attacks and counter-attacks resulting in the deaths.