Assam violence: Wanted notice issued against accused

Police in Assam's Dhemaji district on Tuesday issued a wanted notice against Subodh Biswas, president of All India Nikhil Bharat Bengali UdbastuSamannay Samiti for his alleged role behind the violence in Assam's Silapathar town.

Dhemaji Superintendent of Police Nilesh Sawakre said the notice was issued in a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code registered under Biswas and appealed to people to inform them if anyone has information about him.

Biswas had earlier delivered a speech at Silapathar on Monday demanding granting of citizenship to Hindu Bengalis by amending the Citizenship Act.

This is believed to have incited the participants of the rally to attack and vandalise the office of the All Assam Students' Union (Aasu) at Silapathar, which led to chaos in the town on Monday.

The participants of the rally also clashed with the police and security forces who tried to stop the violence.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, while condemning the incident, had already ordered a probe to be carried out by Additional Chief Secretary V.B. Pyarelal into the incident and assured that action will be taken against all the guilty.

The Aasu on the other hand had taken out a candle light rally in Assam's main town Guwahati on Tuesday evening protesting against the attack and vandalism of its office. The powerful students' body, who had been opposing the amendment of Citizenship Act and granting citizenship to religious and linguistic minorities who entered Assam after 1971, had also announced that it would hold a satyagraha programme in all district headquarters of Assam on Friday.

--IANS

ah/vd