Tension had been prevailing in Udalguri district since August 14 when two Bodo boys were killed in a clash during a 12-hour bandh called by a little-known organisation called Muslim Students’ Union of Assam.

“We were at home when a large group of people, armed with all kinds of weapons, attacked our village and began torching the houses,” said Brajen Basumatary (52) of village Sonaripara, about 5 km from Udalguri. That was on Friday. Today, almost all 58 families of Sonaripara are in the relief camp at Udalguri High School. All their belongings, including cattle and poultry, perished in the blaze.

The relief camp at the High School is now home to 1,119 people, mostly Bodos. “Not all houses have been burnt. But we are very insecure. They have deadly weapons,” said Purna Deka whose father Kandura Deka was killed on the first day of the clashes at village Phakidiya.

Kandura Deka was hacked to death and then thrown into a burning house.

On Friday, Rakesh Swargiari, a Bodo youth from village Mohanpur under Udalguri police station, was kidnapped by some miscreants. He was later found unconscious in the jungles nearby and moved to a hospital in Tezpur. News of the incident spread like wildfire and clashes broke out.

Nonibala Singha (63) of Ikrabari village is still searching for her son Babloo. “He had gone out with the other boys of the village to keep a night watch on Friday. I have not seen him since then,” said Nonibala whose house too has been reduced to ashes.

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