Will probe involvement of foreign hand in violence: Gogoi

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has said that a probe will be instituted to find out facts regarding alleged involvement of foreign hands in the recent Assam violence.

"From the beginning I have stated that some foreign hands are involved. It is not merely a clash between Bodos and minorities. The Union Home ministry report that Pakistani elements were involved has vindicated our stand," Gogoi told PTI.

"We will institute a probe to find out details regarding the involvement of foreign elements in the violence," he added.

Meanwhile, in stray incidents of violence one person was injured in Dhubri district and a few houses were torched in Chirang district last night, even as curfew was relaxed for 12 hours in Rangiya subdivision of Kamrup Rural district.

Police said a person belonging to the minority community was injured at Chilkikhata, under Bilasipara police station, late last evening after a group of miscreants attacked him with arrows.

The condition of the injured is stated to be critical and he has been shifted to the Gauhati Medical College Hospital.

In another incident, unidentified miscreants set ablaze three houses at Khunkrajora under Bijni police station in Chirang last night.

Additional forces have been deployed in the area. The Army is also conducting flag marches at various places.

Curfew in Rangiya was relaxed from 7 am to 7 pm today. Shops and markets were open in Rangiya town even as security forces continued to maintain strict vigil.

"We are constantly monitoring the situation. There have been no reports of any fresh incidents in the past few hours," Assam IGP (Law & Order) L R Bishnoi told PTI.
Meanwhile, one more special train reached Guwahati this morning from Bangalore carrying around 800 passengers.

"Two special trains from Bangalore had reached yesterday and another arrived here at around 8 am this morning," Northeast Frontier Railway PRO Nripen Bhattacharya said.
The violence in the lower Assam districts, which started on July 19-20, have so far claimed 78 lives and displaced over four lakh people.