Cow parts near temples spread tension in Assam districts

NewsGram Staff Writer

Guwahati: Tension shrouded Dhubri and Cachar districts of Assam as people clashed with police on Saturday following the discovery of cow body parts near temples. The clash left a few injured. Curfew has been imposed in Dhubri district to prevent the incidents from spilling over.

Police said the ruckus started in Agomoni in Dhubri district on Friday evening after a group of people thrashed two youth alleging that they intentionally kept some beef near a temple in Kaldoba area.

Though police intervened and managed to contain the situation immediately, things went haywire on Saturday morning as hundreds of people belonging to one community protested against the assault on the two youths.

Police sources said the agitating mob vandalised shops and commercial establishments in Agomoni area and set ablaze a motorcycle.

Police resorted to baton-charge to subdue the situation which left many injured.

Police made 19 arrests so far for inciting violence.

Meanwhile, tension gripped Silchar town of Cachar district after the recovery of a cow's head near a Kali temple in Meherpur area on Friday evening.

Despite the police managing to control the situation on Friday night, people from one community brought out a protest rally in Silchar on Saturday morning.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi alleged the involvement of "fundamentalist forces" behind the incidents and said some people were trying to foment communal tension. He said police received intelligence inputs and were able to prevent the clashes before they could spread.

(With inputs from IANS)