The 12-hour Assam bandh called today by All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU), an organisation of Muslims, has further deteriorated the law and order situation in the state, with unrest and instability spreading further. Indefinite curfew had to be clamped in at least two other districts, which till now were unaffected by Bodoland-violence, after violence and clashes were reported from there.
AAMSU, which till the other day was demanding normalisation of the situation in Bodoland, today further complicated it with its bandh. The violence-marred bandh also saw several attacks on media persons, with two of them injured seriously. Following the bandh, unrest spread to central Assam districts of Nogaon and Sonitpur and lower Assam district of Barpeta. Bandh supporters were seen indulging in violence while enforcing the bandh. The convoy of deputy commissioner of Sonitpur district was attacked and one of his escort vehicles was set ablaze by bandh supporter in Tezpur. Clashes were also reported from Samaguri in Nagoan district. Indefinite curfew was clamped in parts of Sonitpur and Nagaon districts later. Bandh supporters were seen burning effigies of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) chief Hagrama Mohilary and LK Advani across the state. Rumours of violence and clashes resulted in shutdown in some parts of Guwahati city today.
Yesterday also the state saw a complete shutdown due to a 12-hour bandh, which was called by Bajrang Dal. However, yesterday’s bandh was not violence-marred.
“I feel bandhs are further complicating matters for us in restoring normalcy,” said Tarun Gogoi, chief minister of Assam. He said both the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), an Assam-based political party espousing the cause of immigrant Muslims, and BJP were trying to communalise the environment in Assam by making provocative statements.
Yesterday, one more person was killed and six others were injured in Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD) in the clashes between the illegal Bangladeshi settlers and indigenous Bodo community. Besides, at least four incidents of firing were reported last evening from trouble-torn BTAD. Meanwhile, the total death toll in the clashes has touched 92 and nearly 2.5 lakh people are taking shelters at various relief camps.
