Char inhabitants contributed to arson

The blood bath between indigenous Bodos and Bengali Muslim settlers in and around Kokrajhar kept normalcy out of bounds since it broke out on July 20. With large-scale displacement of both communities in and outside the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts, the situation is yet grim. According to Moidul Islam of Bilasipara, thousands of people from the chars entered Bilasipara on Tuesday and burnt down Bodo dominated villages bordering Bilasipara. Trapped between flood waters and gun shots rained by ambushing suspected NDFB militants, 8 died on the spot. Due to incessant rain thousands who contributed to arson, took refuge in relief camps alongwith those actually displaced, unable to return in the face of the night.

Violence ridden Muslim settlers also damaged vehicles belonging to indigenous Muslims at Bijni yesterday when they were denied vehicles for ferrying. Even Bodos attacked an indigenous Muslim village at Chirang, stated Hafizul Ahmed, GS, Goriya-Moria-Desi Jatiya Parishad. "It is not a good indigation to take the indigeous Muslims in the light of the Bengali Muslim settlers," he said. Meanwhile the Goverment of Assam has set up some 126 relief camps and stepped up food and civil supplies. Assam CM Tarun Gogoi and his counterpart Hagrama Mohilary are hopeful of normalcy after the deployment of adequate security forces. Government put the number of people dead at 42 including those killed in police firing but actual numbers are much more than ascertained.