Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi directed the DGP and senior police officials to take, if necessary, the help of the army to deal with the latest spurt in violence in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) region. At a meeting convened at his official residence here today to discuss law and order, Gogoi told officials that if required they could take the help of the Army and para-military forces to bring the situation under control. The chief minister pointed out that the latest violence is the handiwork of certain forces who want to foment disturbances in BTAD areas which were returning to normal. “Vigil should be stepped up to foil the sinister designs of these forces,” he said and appealed to the people to remain on alert and to maintain peace and harmony at any cost. Sporadic attacks on individuals have flared up again in parts of the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) region since last week, after a calm of three months. Since Saturday, three other persons have been killed in separate incidents across Kokrajhar district. Opposition parties in the state have accused the state government of not taking an initiative to seize illegal arms in BTAD region and alleged this proliferation of weapons has led to renewed tension. PTI
