Home Min to assess situation after ULFA attacks

New Delhi, Jan 7: A high-level Home Ministry delegation left forUpper Asom this morning to assess the situation arising after the ULFAattacks in the state since the last two days.

The delegation is headed by Minister of State for Home SriprakashJaiswal who will visit the affected districts of Tinsukia and Dibrugarhof Upper Asom.

Special Secretary G S Rajagopal and other officials of the ministry are accompanging the Minister.

The Home Ministry officials are in constant touch with the stategovernment and has offered all possible help and support to curb theviolence in the state, Ministry sources said yesterday.

The banned ULFA triggered a series of coordinated blasts andshootings since Friday night killing at least 48 people in Tinsukia,Dhemaji and Dibrugarh districts of Upper Asom. Most of those killedwere Hindi-speaking migrant labourers.

The bout of violence came barely a day after Home Secretary V KDuggal reviewed the security situation in the north-eastern state inview of the 33rd National Games in Guwahati from February 9.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday described the killings ofpeople by the banned militant outfit as an ''act of cowardice'' and''against humanity''.

Strongly condemning the killing of innocent persons, Home MinisterShivraj Patil said the incidents were an attempt to disturb communalharmony in the state.

He said the Government was always willing to talk to any group inan effort to find peaceful solution to problems, but killing ofinnocent people would not be tolerated.

UNI