9 die in Kokrajhar clashes,curfew clamped

Curfew was clamped in Kokrajhar in Assam Saturday following outbreak of violence involving two communities that left at least nine persons dead since Friday night.

Four persons,all former cadres of the now defunct Bodoland Liberation Tigers,were hacked to death by a mob in a village near Kokrajhar town Friday night. Retaliatory clashes led to the death of at least five more persons on Saturday.

SN Singh,IGP for the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts,said the situation in the district was tense,but under control. The police have taken strong steps to ensure that the situation is under control and no further incidents occur, Singh told The Sunday Express over the telephone from Kokrajhar.

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Seven additional companie of police were rushed to Kokrajhar,said officials.

Sources said tension had been simmering in the district for the past few days after two persons Nurul Haque and Mazibur Rahman were shot dead by unidentified gunmen at village Anthihara near Kokrajhar on July 6. In a separate incident two days ago,two persons,both said to be members of the All Bodoland Minority Students Union,were shot at.

Friday night,four former members of the defunct Bodoland Tigers were hacked to death at village Joypur four km from Kokrajhar police station. This led to retaliatory attacks elsewhere in the district. Unconfirmed reports said a mob attacked a Bodo tribal village called Paraura under Fakiragram police station.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said police have been asked to act tough against the culprits.