30 Arrested For Attempting To Spark Communal Violence In Assam's Dhubri

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said more than 30 people have been arrested in connection with the recent incident in Dhubri where a cow's head was found in a sensitive area, sparking communal tensions. Five people have also been arrested in similar incidents in Lakhimpur district.

Speaking to the media in Guwahati on Wednesday, Chief Minister Sarma said, "In the Dhubri case, there have been many arrests - over 30 people. And yesterday, in Lakhimpur, five arrests were made after three cows' heads were placed in front of a Namghar (Vaishnavite prayer hall). The police will begin further action from today. The matter is serious, but I believe it will be resolved within a day or two."

The chief minister also used the opportunity to strongly criticise Rahul Gandhi, linking the incidents to what he described as the Congress leader's "mentality."

"Only people of a particular community keep beef in this manner. This is Rahul Gandhi's mentality. If a Hindu wants to keep meat, he will keep pork, not beef. This reflects the poisonous mindset of Rahul Gandhi," Mr Sarma said.

The remarks have sparked strong reactions from the opposition, with leaders calling his statements polarising and provocative at a time when communal tensions are already high in Assam.

After tensions had flared, the police had issued shoot-at-sight orders in Dhubri last week.

At the time, Mr Sarma had said that a Bangladesh-backed organisation, Nobin Bangla, had put up provocative posters, demanding that Dhubri should be part of the country. "These posters indicate that a communal force backed by Bangladesh is active in Dhubri and they are working to destabilise the district," he had said.

The chief minister also alleged that a "new beef mafia" had emerged in Dhubri, which procured thousands of animals just before Eid al-Adha.