Assam violence: Toll touches 37, 10 still missing

The toll in the series of attacks by the anti-talk faction of Bodo militants has gone up to 37 with the recovery of six more bodies Wednesday. Ten people, however, remained missing.

The State Disaster Rescue Force (SDRF) is making efforts to trace the missing people. The SDRF personnel started a search operation in Beki river that flows through the Baksa district and found the six bodies.

A faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants, opposed to talks, started attacking civilians in Baksa and Kokrajhar districts in Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts (BTAD) of Assam since last Thursday.

The Assam government has set up 36 fixed police pickets in the violence-affected areas and intensified operations against the militants.

Wednesday, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi visited the Narayanguri and Balapara villages in Baksa and Kokrajhar districts where most of the violence occurred and took stock of the law and order situation.

Gogoi met the affected families at a relief camp and assured the people of action. "Anyone involved in the gruesome crimes would not be spared," he said while interacting with members of the bereaved families.

Gogoi instructed police officials to confiscate illegal arms.

He said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been entrusted with the probe. It has also been decided to institute a judicial inquiry into the violence by a retired judge.

The chief minister said Rs.5 lakh each would be provided as ex-gratia to the next of kin of the deceased. "The government would also take responsibility of children, orphaned during the violence," he said.

Gogoi then headed towards Balapara and met the affected people, inquiring about their condition. He instructed the administration to beef up security to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.