Situation calm in Assam, two trains arrive from Bengaluru

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The situation in lower Assam on Saturday remained peaceful with no report of any violence even as two special trains arrived here carrying 1700 people who had fled the southern states after rumours of impending attacks.

Official sources said curfew in Rangiya subdivision of Kamrup Rural district was lifted from 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday.

However, normal life in Kamrup Rural, besides nearby Baksa and Nalbari districts has been partially disrupted due to a 12-hour bandh call given by the Bajrang Dal to protest against the violence, sources said.

"There are no reports of any new incidents. The situation is stable and security forces are maintaining a constant vigil," Assam IGP (Bodoland Territorial Area Districts) S.N. Singh told agencies.

A total of 78 persons have so far lost their lives in the lower Assam districts since violence started between Bodos and Bengali-speaking Muslims on July 19-20.

Two special trains from Bengaluru arrived this morning at Guwahati carrying around 1,700 people belonging to the North-East, railway sources said.

"One of the trains reached Guwahati at 5.10 am and the other at 7.55 am. Three more trains are on way from Bengaluru," Northeast Frontier Railway PRO Nripen Bhattacharya told agencies.

A large number of students and professionals from Assam and other North Eastern states have fled Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh after rumours that they will be attacked in the wake of the violence in lower Assam.

In another development, a 15-member team of CBI officers have started investigation into seven cases related to the violence.

The team of officers, led by S. Garg, visited some areas of Kokrajhar district on Friday, a state police source said.

The team is expected to visited Chirang soon, he added. The CBI team will investigate four cases in Kokrajhar, two in Chirang and one in Dhubri.