Tension persists in Kokrajhar, at least 17 killed in ethnic violence

Kokrajhar (Assam), July 23 (ANI): Businesses, offices and schools remained closed after at least 17 people, including a six-month-old child, were killed and many wounded in clashes between indigenous tribes and Muslim settlers over the weekend here, police said on Monday.

Nighttime curfew has been imposed in the region to prevent more and troops have moved into remote areas to deal with the situation.

Prohibitory orders were issued throughout the district to prevent any untoward incident.

About 50,000 villagers fled their homes and took shelter in relief camps, a senior civil servant in the district informed, adding that 37 camps were set up to help the refugees and more would be opened if needed.

Four activists of former militant outfit Bodo Liberation Tigers were shot dead by unidentified persons in Joypur area under Kokrajhar police.

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

Police said unidentified groups set ablaze houses, schools, and vehicles, firing indiscriminately from automatic weapons in populated areas. The body of a six-month-old child was found by villagers on a riverbank along with the body of a woman on Sunday. (ANI)