CBI officials to visit violence-hit areas of Assam

NEW DELHI: A team of CBI officials will visit violence-hit areas of Assam tomorrow after Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi decided to recommend a probe by the Central agency into the clashes.

Although CBI has not registered any case in connection with the fresh spate of violence, a team of officials will be sent to the state to gather preliminary information, agency sources said.

After fresh incidents of violence were reported in lower Assam districts, Gogoi decided to recommend a CBI probe into the clashes.

"I have recommended a CBI probe into the incidents and now it is up to the Centre to take a final decision on instituting it," Gogoi had said.

"Both external and internal forces are at work," he said without elaborating.

He hoped that the CBI probe would identify the forces behind the violence.

The violence between Bodos and minorities has claimed 47 lives in worst-hit Kokrajhar district, 17 in Chirang, 4 in Dhubri besides 5 killed in police firing last month, officials had said.

On complaints that Bangladeshi migrants were in relief camps, Gogoi had said, "We have got reports that people from other states and areas near Bodoland Territorial Areas District ( BTAD) are illegally taking shelter in the camps.

"Their antecedents will be checked and we will not allow rehabilitation of outsiders. Only genuine Indian citizens will be rehabilitated," he said.