Fresh violence in Assam, Rajdhani train service attacked; Tension continued in Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD); PM visits Assam to take stock of Kokrajhar situation, announces Rs. 300 crore package; MHA officials review Kokrajhar situation; GNLA
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    • According to reports, fresh violence rocked the trouble-torn Bodoland Territorial Administered Districts in Assam where the Rajdhani Express train service was attacked by some persons even as the entire train services to and from the North East was hit. Unidentified persons pelted stones and attacked the coaches of the Guwahati-bound Rajdhani Express at Gossaigaon in Kokrajhar district damaging four coaches, though there was no casualty or injuries. 1

    According to reports, Army staged a flag march in the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) of Assam as there was no let-up in tensions with three more bodies recovered from Chirang district and five villages set on fire. The Army also staged a flag march in the four districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri that comprise the BTAD. Kokrajhar and Chirang have become a cauldron of communal tension since July 19, 2012 with 35 people killed and thousands rendered homeless in the violence between the Bodos, who are tribals, and Bengali-speaking Muslims. Mobs continued to set fire to houses left vacant by thousands who have fled to safer areas. 2

    Meanwhile, reports noted Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh visited Assam on July 28, 2012 to take stock of the situation in Kokrajhar and the steps being taken to control it. Terming the large scale ethnic riots in Assam as a blot on the nation, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh announced a Rs 300-crore Central relief package for the violence-hit people. Dr Singh announced immediate Special Central Assistance of Rs 100 crore for relief and rehabilitation efforts, another Rs 100 crore as Special Plan Assistance for development programmes in the affected areas and an additional fund of Rs 100 crore under Indira Awas Yojana for the affected areas. He also announced an assistance of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Ministers’ National Relief Fund to the family of those who lost lives in the violence and an amount of Rs 50,000 as immediate relief to those who are seriously injured. Moreover, to aid in rehabilitation of the affected people, an assistance of Rs 30,000 will be given to those whose houses are fully damaged and Rs 20,000 for partially damaged houses. 3

    In another development, reports noted that in a bid to restore normalcy, a high-level Central team including Shambhu Singh, Joint Secretary (North East) and Ajoy Chadda, Special Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, arrived at Kokrajhar and held a closed-door meeting with high-level officials of Kokrajhar district administration and security forces including Army at Kokrajhar circuit house. Shambhu Singh said that 44 companies of additional Central forces would be shortly deployed while the Army was given the task of area domination. He also pointed out that the 4 companies of SSB were deployed along the railway tracks to restore normal movement of railway service from today. He also said the process is on to send back the inmates of relief camps to their residences in a phased manner ensuring full security. 4

    According to reports, security forces have busted a joint training camp of the Garo National Liberation Army and the United Liberation Front of Asom in the Garo Hills region in western part of Meghalaya. There were no reports yet if someone was arrested in the crackdown. The camp, located at Memanang in the foothills of Durama, was busted July 23, 2012 by a joint team of Meghalaya's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) commandos. Memanang is about 23 km from Williamnagar, the district headquarters of East Garo Hills. 5

    Reports noted that though the Government of Myanmar is yet to launch full scale operations, the militants using the territory of that country are under bit of pressure and the movement of the militants has also come down in recent times. The militants are not having a free run in Myanmar as was the case in the past and the Government of India is hopeful that the Government of that country would take action against the ultras sooner or later. 6

    In other developments, according to reports, in a fierce gun battle, one NLFT insurgent was killed at Majimonipur, 15 km from Raishyabari police station in Dhalai district. One AK-47 rifle with 50 rounds of live bullets and two Chinese grenades were recovered from the spot. 7 Meanwhile, reports noted that a CRPF sub-inspector was killed and a constable injured in firing by Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) militants in East Garo Hills district even as security forces busted their camp in Durama Hills range. 8

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