| Assam MLA arrest: Supporters call for indefinite bandh |
| Posted on 24-08-2012 | 07:34:07 IST | DY365 Bureau |
 |
 |
|
Guwahati: A day after an MLA of Bodoland People’s Front, an ally of the ruling Congress, was arrested early on Thursday, BPF has called for an indefinite bandh in Kokrajhar district of Assam. Pradeep Brahma, alias Gara, was held after seven cases were registered against him in Fakiragram and Dotama police stations in Kokrajhar district, Inspector General of Police LR Bishnoi told a news agency. Brahma has been charged with inciting communal violence. The MLA was charged under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons, 149 (unlawful assembly), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance), 427 (causing damage), 379 (theft) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC. The MLA's arrest sparked off protest with BPF supporters blockading railway tracks and preventing rail movement in Lower Assam, officials said. The rail blockade was lifted after 12:00 noon with train services resuming. Soon after his arrest, the district administration imposed an indefinite curfew in Kokrajhar district from 5 am yesterday. But hundreds of BPF supporters defied the curfew and came out on the streets and blocked railway tracks several places including Kokrajhar railway station, demanding Brahma's immediate release. Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts in western Assam have been hit by ethnic clashes between Bodos and Bengali-speaking Muslim settlers from July 19. As many as 77 people have been killed in the violence and over four lakh people displaced. |
