08-19-2008, 07:13 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Shoot orders in 3 Assam districts
Sushanta Talukda
Guwahati: The Assam government on Monday directed the police to issue shoot-at-sight orders in the three northern districts of Udalguri, Darrang and Sonitpur in the wake of clashes between Muslims and the Bodos.
Violent clashes in the affected districts has claimed five lives since August 14, while armed miscreants shot dead a couple in Chirang district of lower Assam.
Tension continues to grip the three districts as thousands of people belonging to the two communities have fled their homes in Udalguri and Sonitpur districts and taken shelter in schools and market places. Police said a group of miscreants dragged two persons from a vehicle near Tangla in Udalguri district and beat them up. While one person managed to escape, the assailants took away the other. Details were awaited.
On Sunday, miscreants set ablaze about 40 houses in Sonitpur district and shot at villagers injuring six of them.
Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain, Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) chief Hagrama Mahillary, Home Commissioner Rajiv Bora and Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) D.K. Pathak have been camping in the worst-hit Udalguri district.
The State government divided the three affected districts into four sectors and 22 zones and ordered deployment of security forces in adequate strength to prevent recurrence of violence. It also ordered the arrest of rumour-mongers and requested telecom operators to track down mobile phones from which rumours originated. The police have also been directed to resort to preventive detention of those inciting violence or fomenting communal tension.
Clashes began following the killing of a Bodo youth by supporters of the bandh called by the Muslim Studentsâ Association on August 14.
The bandh was called to protest harassment of genuine Indian citizens in the name of identification of illegal Bangladeshi migrants. The clashes that day left seven others injured. The incident led to a backlash and outbreak of violence in different parts of the three districts which claimed four more lives.
http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/19/stories/...411000.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sushanta Talukda
Guwahati: The Assam government on Monday directed the police to issue shoot-at-sight orders in the three northern districts of Udalguri, Darrang and Sonitpur in the wake of clashes between Muslims and the Bodos.
Violent clashes in the affected districts has claimed five lives since August 14, while armed miscreants shot dead a couple in Chirang district of lower Assam.
Tension continues to grip the three districts as thousands of people belonging to the two communities have fled their homes in Udalguri and Sonitpur districts and taken shelter in schools and market places. Police said a group of miscreants dragged two persons from a vehicle near Tangla in Udalguri district and beat them up. While one person managed to escape, the assailants took away the other. Details were awaited.
On Sunday, miscreants set ablaze about 40 houses in Sonitpur district and shot at villagers injuring six of them.
Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain, Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) chief Hagrama Mahillary, Home Commissioner Rajiv Bora and Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) D.K. Pathak have been camping in the worst-hit Udalguri district.
The State government divided the three affected districts into four sectors and 22 zones and ordered deployment of security forces in adequate strength to prevent recurrence of violence. It also ordered the arrest of rumour-mongers and requested telecom operators to track down mobile phones from which rumours originated. The police have also been directed to resort to preventive detention of those inciting violence or fomenting communal tension.
Clashes began following the killing of a Bodo youth by supporters of the bandh called by the Muslim Studentsâ Association on August 14.
The bandh was called to protest harassment of genuine Indian citizens in the name of identification of illegal Bangladeshi migrants. The clashes that day left seven others injured. The incident led to a backlash and outbreak of violence in different parts of the three districts which claimed four more lives.
http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/19/stories/...411000.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->