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written by: Wikipedia
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_2014_Assam_violence
From the night of 1 May 2014
until the early morning hours of 3 May a series of attacks occurred on
the Bengali Muslims in Assam, a north-eastern state of India. The
perpetrator is unknown, but is suspected to be the National
Democratic Front of Bodoland of Songbijitfaction.[3][6] Speculated to be revenge for not voting for the
National Democratic Front in the Lok Sabha
elections,[5] the death toll reached 32
The Bodos are
an indigenous community in Assam state of India. It is about 10% its
population of 44 million people. Insurgency in
Northeast India is
ongoing for decades involving several rebel groups. In 2012, violence between Bodo tribal people and Muslims
resulted in 108 deaths fueled by a Assam Police Constable Mohibur Islam alisa
Ratul.[8] In India, Loksabha
election is ongoing which will
conclude its last phase on 12 May and the results will be declared on 16 May.
Around 07:30 PM IST on 1 May, insurgents raided the Narsingbari village
of Baksa district
opening fire on a house, killing three women and injuring two others. The
attackers had arrived on bicycles. On early hours of 2 May, another group of
insurgents opened fire at three houses in Balapara village of Kokrajhar district, killing seven people. On the
evening of the same day, another group killed 12 people and burnt down 30
thatched houses near Baksa's Manas National Park.[5]
On 3 May, four suspected insurgents attacked police in the
forest near Tejpur. Police fired in retaliation which killed two while two
other escaped. Police also killed one more suspect in Udalguri district from
whom they recovered a revolver and a hand grenade.
Police arrested 22 people
along with eight forest guards to investigate their involvement.[2] The Assam government has decided to hand over the probe
to National
Investigation Agency.
Due to the attack, several Muslims from Duramari and Dotoma region of Kokrajhar district fled their houses. Bodoland
Territorial Councilchief Hagrama Mohilary pacified the panicked people
and promised them of security.[5] Curfew was clamped
in Kokrajhar, Baksa and Chirang districts and shoot-on-sight orders have
been issued in Kokrajhar and Baksa.[3]
Army stages out flag marches in sensitive areas of Kokrajhar and
Baksa districts. Ten additional companies of Central
Reserve Police Force were moved to the two
districts. Strong action against National Democratic Font has been initiated by
the home ministry of India.[5]
Union Home Ministry deployed 43 companies of the Central Armed
Police Forces while Defense ministry also deployed 15
columns of the Army comprising approximately 1,500 soldiers.
Chief minister of Assam, Tarun Gogoi reviewed the situation with top
government officials. The opposition political parties blamed the Gogoi-led
government in failing to protect lives despite intelligence alerts.[3]
Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh condemned
the attack and termed it as a cowardly attempt to spread fear and terror.[11]
In a statement, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland
(Songbijit) denied their involvement in the attack and claimed it was
conspiracy by the state government to create communal friction between Bodos
and Muslims.[4][12]
Relatives of the killed urged the Chief minister Tarun Gogoi to provide affirmation of security
for their lives and stalled the last rites for those dead. They also complained
of pressure from local authorities to conduct funeral rites for the killed.