Assam riots spread to new areas, toll rises to 40

KOKRAJHAR: Even with the state machinery out in full gear and soldiers maintaining vigil in four districts, violence in lower Assam continued unabated on Wednesday, with the conflagration scorching new areas in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts where eight more bodies were found.
The toll of those killed in ethnic and communal clashes, fuelled by animosity between Bodos and the rising population of Muslims who settled on tribal land, now stands at 40.The killings have led to one of the largest ever exoduses in Assam’s recent history, with officials saying 1.7 lakh people from 400 villages in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts are now homeless and sheltered in 128 camps that dot the conflict zone.
Panic-stricken villagers are fleeing to relief camps or wherever their ethnic or religious group is in a majority using all modes of transport: from horse-drawn carts and hand-pulled rickshaws to bicycles, motorcycles and trucks. On Wednesday, hundreds were trekking through monsoon-drenched forests to escape armed militia from either side.
CM Tarun Gogoi, scheduled to visit Kokrajhar on Thursday, said, “There are no fresh killings but the relief camp inmates have increased, mainly due to panic by fleeing villagers. I appeal to people not to give credence to rumours.”
Meanwhile, to the relief of over 30,000 stranded passengers, Northeast Frontier Railway resumed services partially on Wednesday, starting with Rajdhani Express that was stopped midway due to the violence.
“We’ve asked some trains to move from the stations where they are halted and to proceed towards their destinations. We hope services will be resumed soon,” said S Hajong, CPRO of NF railway.
6 Assam villagers gutted, shoot-at-sight order given
The Northeast Frontier Railway resumed its train services partially on Wednesday which were paralysed due to the ethnic violence. “We’ve asked some trains to move from the stations where they are halted and to proceed towards their destinations. We hope services will be resumed soon,” said S Hajong, CPRO of NF railway.
Until Tuesday, some 26 trains were cancelled and 37 regulated by NFR due to security reasons.
“We loaded our stuff and children on hand-pulled carts and walked. Some came on bicycles; a few on motorbikes,” said Moniram Boro of Silbari village in Kokrajhar.
Boro, along with hundreds of others from the hamlet, abandoned their villages fearing attacks by Muslims. While Bodos are heading towards Kokrajhar where they are in a majority, Bengali-speaking Muslims are taking refuge in Dhubri where they outnumber others. Fearing attacks, many Bengali Hindu and Koch Rajbongshi families have made their way into West Bengal.
The scale of exodus among Muslims from Kokrajhar has crossed one lakh. Additionally, more than 50,000 Muslims reached Dhubri on Wednesday. Such is the rush that there is an acute shortage of trucks. The largest number of Muslim migration is from Gossaigaon in Kokrajhar.
While people in Kokrajhar experienced a brief respite from curfew which was reimposed indefinitely, in neighbouring Chirang, the situation turned tense with recovery of three more bodies. About six villages belonging to Bodos and Muslims were gutted in a fresh spree prompting district administration to issue shoot-at-sight orders. Reports of burning also came from Garubhata, Nepalpara, and Nangalbari villages in Chirang.
Defence spokesman Lt Col S Phogat said, “The deployment of the Army this morning has brought improvement in the situation. No incident has been reported today. Thirteen columns of troops have fanned out into the four districts and the areas have been sanitized.”
Not just Muslims, since Tuesday, over 20,000 people from Bodo villages, too, have left their homes and set off on foot or carts for the 20-odd relief camps in and around Kokrajhar. Not less than 10,000 Bodos from Bilasipara area alone hit the road in search of shelter in relief camps.
“Trucks have become scarce as migration has increased. People are using various modes of transportation to reach Dhubri. Since Tuesday, more than 250 horse-drawn carts and 2,500 bicycles have left for Dhubri. About 35 Muslim villages have become virtually empty now. We demand that the government protect these villages,” said Abdus Sabur Sheikh, a schoolteacher.
Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) chief Hagrama Mohilary's demand for deployment of security forces in the border between BTC area and Dhubri to prevent miscreants from fomenting trouble in Kokrajhar has worried the Muslims.