Title - Army stages flag march in Assam

Guwahati:
Renewed statehood movement by various tribal groups continued to singe Assam even today. Three persons were injured in police firing at Donkamokam in the violence-ravaged Karbi Anglog Hills district even as the Army staged a flag march in the curfew-bound Diphu town. A violent statehood movement has been launched by various Karbi tribe organisations under the aegis of the Karbi Students Association (KSA).The police had to open fire to disperse a mob that set on fire a police outpost at Dongkamokam. Four persons, including KSA president L Engleng, were arrested by the police for their alleged involvement in instigating violence.State Parliamentary Secretary (Home) Atuwa Munda said two additional companies of paramilitary forces had been sent to the hill district, while the Centre had promised to send five more companies.Train services in the state were badly affected due to violence in Karbi Anglong hill district. The 12-hour "rail rook" agitation launched by the All-Bodo Students Union (ABSU) aggravated the situation further.

A Northeast Frontier Railway spokesman said all long-distance trains, including the Rajdhani Express, had to be regulated because of the "rail rook" agitation while many others had to be cancelled.

ABSU president Promod Bodo said Assam would have to be divided as Bodos this time would not rest till a separate state was formed. Life was also hit in Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Baksa and Nalbari districts in Western Assam due to the 36-hour bandh called by the All Koch-Rajbongshi Students Union (KRSU) demanding Kamatapur state.

The demands

Bodoland: Areas located north of the Brahmaputra in Assam. Inhabited predominantly by Bodos, the map includes Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) administered by the Bodoland Territorial Council
Karbi Anglong: Is bound by Nagaland & Meghalaya. It has Nagaon and Golaghat districts in north and Dima Hasao district in South
Dima Hasao: The district as well as Karbi Anglong district in eastern Assam near Nagaland
Kamtapur: Said to belong to Koch Rajbongshis, its includes parts of West Bengal Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and parts of West Assam