Assam killings: 30 held, investigation handed over to NIA

A woman cries near the body of a relative, killed in ethnic violence, at a crematorium at Narayanguri village, Assam, on Saturday

Police have arrested 30 people in connection with the violence in Assam's Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD) which has claimed at least 32 lives. "We have arrested 30 persons, 22 in Baksa district and 8 in Kokrajhar," state home commissioner GD Tripathi told India Today.

Six columns of army have been deployed in the region while more forces have been kept on standby. "Night curfew will be clamped not only in the affected districts but also on the border areas of Nalbari and Barpeta districts," added Tripathi.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi accepted responsibility for the massacre in BTAD but dismissed Opposition's claim to step down. "I'm not going to step down. I'm not a coward to flee the battlefield," he said. The state cabinet has decided to hand over the investigation into the killings to National Investigation Agency.

Gogoi also summoned the Minister of State for Border Areas Development, Siddique Ahmed, back to Guwahati after the latter had made a controversial statement blaming extremist elements in Bodoland People's Front (BPF), an alliance partner of Gogoi-led state government, behind the killings. He was the first minister to be sent by the CM to the affected areas. Another fact-finding team led by former CM and veteran Congress leader Bhumidhar Barman has left for Kokrajhar on Saturday.