Forces rushed to upper Asom

Guwahati, May 16 (UNI) Forces have been rushed to trouble-torn upper Asom today amidst reports of violence spreading to Sivsagar and Dibrugarh districts with six more deaths last night.

Speaking to reporters here today, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, "The ULFA is trying to divert the attention to other districts targeting Hindi-speaking community. It is an old design and we are fully prepared. We have asked the Union Home Ministry to send back the 40 companies taken from us for the UP election." In his statement today, he had also confirmed the deaths of six Hindi-speaking persons in Dibrugarh and Sibsagar district last night.

The first incident occurred in Belbari near Tengakhat in Dibrugarh district where five persons - Kripal Singh, Siv Nath Thakur, Kalash Thakur, Ramesh Singh and Raghunath Singh, were killed.

In the another incident near Borahat railway station, one Babulal Shah was killed.

''It is very difficult to protect everyone since the ULFA are targeting soft targets. Their intention is to be in news by attacking Hindi-speaking people. But that will not solve any purpose. Our government will remain tough. But I appeal them to shun violence'' he said.

''The ULFA had gone after them to divert the focus from Doomdoma, which was witness to unfortunate incidents of ethnic clashes. I blame the ULFA and PCPIA for instigating ordinary people and creating a situation which led to the deaths of innocent people'' he said.

Meanwhile the curfew had been relaxed in the Doomodoma area of Tinsukia district which saw ethnic clashes leading to the death of seven persons.

The district administration had brought the situation under control and the state government today announced that it would no longer be ''lenient''.

''The ULFA and their over-ground organisation are provoking us to go tough so that they can emerge as hero. I must admit that I am in a tight corner handling these,'' he said, while admitting that over ground organisations like PCPIA had been using the human right angle cleverly.

Asom Government were in touch with the Bihar government after last night's killing of six Biharis.

''The Chief Secretary is talking to his counterpart in Bihar,'' the Chief Minister said.

Meanwhile the ULFA in their mouth piece ''Freedom'' asked the army to ''go back to the barracks'' and alleged that ethnic violence was created by Asom government using the tea garden laboureres instigating them.

The ULFA also urged both the tea garden laboureres and the Assamese community in the Moran area to stop infighting.

UNI