Assam bandh turns violent

The 12-hour Assam bandh called by the All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU) on Tuesday turned violent with government officials and mediapersons attacked leading to imposition of indefinite curfew in some areas.

Blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) for making provocative statements, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi urged political parties and outfits to refrain from calling bandhs which were inflaming passions in violence-hit areas.

"I am not happy about the way in which BJP and All India United Democratic Front and some other outfits are conducting themselves. I appeal to them not to make any more provocative statements," he told reporters.

Referring to Monday's bandh called by Bajrang Dal and the one on Tuesday called by the AMSU he said, "This is not a time to call bandhs. Instead of bringing calm, bandhs only increase the temper and also affect the economy. I urge all parties and outfits to refrain from calling bandhs."

Admitting that the state continued to be rocked by incidents of violence, Gogoi said the army has been given power to seize arms and was confident that results would soon be visible.

Indefinite curfew was clamped in Tezpur town after a youth was critically injured by bandh supporters when he tried to stop them from forcibly closing down shops near Mahabhairab Temple in the heart of the town, police sources said.