Assam clashes: 26 arrested in connection with BTAD communal clash

ASSAM: What is expected to put the congress ally Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) under pressure from opposition parties, seven forest guards are arrested in connection communal clash in Bodoland. These forest guards along with others were produced in a court which sends them to three day police remand.

Around 26 people were arrested in connection with communal clash between Bengali speaking Muslims and Bodos, 14 persons were produced in Barpeta court on Tuesday.

BPF is ruling the sixth schedule area of Bodoland Territorial Administration Districts (BTAD) and forest is the subject of the council.

Bodoland violence has claimed 34 people and rendered thousands homeless. Ties between congress and BPF is under stress as several congress leaders are raising voice against BPF leader, Parmila Rani Brahma for her alledged provocative comment against Muslims after Kokrajhar election.

Assam minister for forest, Rockybul hussain said that it would have been better if Parmila would not have said such things after April 24 polls.

A bullet ridden body of a women was recovered in Baska. At least 15 people are still missing in Narayanguri in Baska district. These people which belonged to muslim minority are missing since May 2. Baska accounted for 18 deaths in communal clash.

These persons went missing after the heavily armed militants belonging to outlawed Songbijit faction of National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) targeted the Muslim community people living in the village. Additional Director General of police, A.P Rout told ET, “The villagers have given names of 19 missing persons, out of which four bodies were recovered from the Beki River. We have engaged team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for search operation.”

Sources added that chances of those being alive are very slim as it almost four days and there is no whereabouts of the missing. Tensions are still prevailing in the four district of Bodoland and in different parts of the state. N.R. Wasan, ADG of NIA visited Guwahati and met Jitesh Khosla, Chief Secretary, Assam to discuss the modalities for taking over the investigation of selected cases of recent violence in BTAD.

Meanwhile tension is high in Central Assam’s Nagaon district where bandh supporters damaged shops during the bandh called by minority organizations. While supporters’ pelted stones, police lathi charged to bring situation under control.