Assam Legislator arrested for Assam violence, bandh cripples normal life

GUWAHATI, August 23 (Agencies): An MLA of Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF), an ally of the ruling Congress, was arrested early today and charged with inciting communal violence, while a bandh called by a Muslim organisation in lower Assam hit normal life.

Pradeep Brahma, alias Gara, representing Kokrajhar (West) constituency, was arrested from his Dotoma residence near Kokrajhar town at about 1:00 am, official sources said.

Seven cases have been registered against him in police stations, the sources said.

Following the arrest and yesterday's violence in neighbouring Dhubri district in which two persons were killed, indefinite curfew was clamped in Kokrajhar district.

The army staged flag marches in the district as Brahma's supporters picketed railway tracks and the National Highway 31.

BPF is the ruling party of the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District (BTAD) whose chief is Hagrama Mohilary.

More than 80 persons have lost their lives and four lakh rendered homeless in the violence in lower Assam districts of Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Chirang and Bongaigaon.

A bandh called by a new outfit Muslim Yuva Parishad, meanwhile paralysed lower Assam districts with shops, schools, business establishments and financial institutions remaining closed while there was less traffic on the national highway, official sources said.

Train services were unaffected.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who met members of civil society on the recent violence in the state, appealed to the people to ignore rumours.

Gogoi admitted that relief camps were overcrowded and there was need for decongestion and proper sanitation.

Expressing concern over destruction of houses and property, civil society members urged the government to seize illegal arms.

They also expressed concern at the exodus of people of the northeast from other states and urged students and professionals not to heed rumours.