High level security meeting at Raj Bhawan: Curfew relaxed but Bandh paralyses city

A high level security meeting was held at Raj Bhawan yesterday late night in presence of Union Home Minister Shiv Raj Patil, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Assam Govt. Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, Principal Secretary (Home), Home Commissioner and other senior officials. The Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil asserted that stern action would be taken against those involved in the serial blasts, which resulted in the death of more than 77 persons so far. The Union Home Minister arrived in the city this afternoon and immediately after his arrival, he flew to Kokrajhar - another blast site to take stock of the situation.

The Union Home Minister expressed his sympathies to the family members of those killed in the blasts and assured that the Centre would extend all necessary help to the State in this hour of crisis. He said that the steps taken by the State Government so far were in the right direction and hoped that such actions would enable the State to cope with such eventualities in future.

The tour programme of Patil has been rescheduled and he is stayed back in the city tonight. He is likely to visit Barpeta today morning to take stock of the situation.

Mean while indefinite curfew has been relaxed in the city except Ganeshguri area. But then Bandh in protest of the Thurday's terror attack has paralyzed the city. Several organisations have called for bandhs to register their protest against yesterday's serial blasts that took over 77 lives so far. While the Sadou Assam Karmachari Parishad (SAKP) has decided to observe November 1 as a black day in protest against the blasts, the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chattra Parishad (AJYCP) today burnt the effigy of the jehadi and fundamentalist forces. Members of the All Guwahati Students' Union (AGSU), the city unit of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), burnt the effigy of the Union Home Minister in protest against the failure of the Central Government to check illegal migration and infiltration of the Bangladesh-based jehadis.

Several other organisations have condemned the blasts. The organisations include the Assam State Commission for Women, Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity, All India Central Council of Trade Unions, Assam Tribune Employees' Union, Save Guwahati Build Guwahati, All Assam Non-Tribal Students' Union, Big 92.7 FM, Assam Petroleum Mazdoor Union, All India Trade Union Congress, city unit of the Nationalist Congress Party, Cooperative City Bank Employees' Association, teachers and students of B Borooah College and the All Assam Muslim Council.

Candle peace rallies calling for peace and harmony and expressing condolence to the victims of the blast last evening. City based fm channel BIG 92.7 FM, some youth organizations and artists association took out peace rallies to Dighalipukhuri par.