Manmohan Singh asks Assam CM to bring law and order under control

New Delhi, July 24 (ANI): As the death toll in ethnic violence in Assam rose to 21, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today spoke to the state's chief minister Tarun Gogoi and asked him to do everything possible to control violence.

Gogoi on his part informed Dr. Singh about the steps being taken by his government in the localities to control the situation.

The Union Home Ministry has sent 29 companies of para military forces to assist the Assam Government to bring the law and order situation under control.

Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh today said that he has been in continuous touch with the Chief Secretary and the Assam Director General of Police.

"We have sent 29 companies. 14 teams we sent yesterday, day before; 15 more companies we have sent today. And part from that, there are some Army units as well. My Joint Secretary is going there. I have been in touch with the Chief Secretary and the DGP continuously, right from the time this problem began," said R. K. Singh.

"I have spoken myself to the leaders of the Bodos and Muslims both. We are in constant touch with them, I have told them that anything more, which they require, will be given," he added.

Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued and indefinite curfew clamped in Assam's Kokrajhar District.

Night curfew was also clamped in Chirang and a few places in Dhubri District.

Meanwhile, with the recovery of another body in Chirang District last evening, the death toll has mounted to 21.

According to police officials, the latest wave of violence was sparked on Friday night when unidentified men killed four youths in the state's Bodo tribe-dominated Kokrajhar District near the borders of Bangladesh and Bhutan.

In retaliation, armed Bodos attacked Muslims, suspecting them to be behind the killings.

Kokrajhar Deputy Commissioner, Donald Gilfellon, earlier said that 37 camps had been set up to help the refugees and that more would be opened if needed.

"Thirteen relief camps have been set up, six in the Gossaigaon subdivision and seven in the Kokrajhar district. The Kokrajhar district administration called in the army and have also imposed a night curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. since yesterday to control the situation. Security forces were deployed in 31 sensitive areas in the Kokrajhar district on Sunday," said Gilfellon.

Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman, said the flare up was a tribal issue that Assam authorities had to address.

"The dispute is about Bodos-who are tribals-accusing the government of looking the other way when their lands are being taken away by immigrants. This is a very serious issue of tribal rights, communal issue, which has flared up and the Congress government in Assam owes an explanation," she said. ANI)