Assam cut off from rest of India as sectarian strife rages

At least 32 people were killed, according to official figures, and thousands more were made homeless in Assam's Kokrajhar and Chirang districts as tribal Bodos and Bengali-speaking Muslims set upon each other.

Reports said a total of 28 people have died in the violence in both Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts since 19, even as security personnel shot dead four miscreants, taking the death roll in the violence to 32.

An estimated 40,000 people have fled their homes looking for safer areas.

Chief minister Tarun Gogoi send SOS to home minister P Chidambaram and defence minister AK Antony to rush paramilitary forces and troops to end the savagery.

Shoot-at-sight orders and have been imposed in the worst-hit Kokrajhar district while night curfew has been clamped . in Chirang, from 6 pm to 6 am.

Miscreants, however, continued to set fire to houses left vacant by thousands who have fled to safer areas.