Sunday, October 16 2005 17:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Diphu (Assam): The situation in Assam's Karbi Anglong district, hit by ethnic violence, remained 'tense but under control' today (Oct 16, 2005) after fresh violence erupted yesterday (Oct 15, 2005) following a two-day break in which over 120 houses of the warring Dimasa and Karbi groups were burnt.

The police here said that barring minor incidents of arson today, the situation was by and large under control, though the villages still remained shunned by residents.

Over 100 people, some of them in battle fatigue and armed with guns, had descended on Dimasa village firing and mowing down animals there before going about setting the houses on flame yesterday.

There was no casualty.

The marauders then went to the next village Mazgaon and repeated the same violence and burnt down 14 houses there before raiding the adjacent hamlet Nasugrungdisa before setting ablaze 18 more houses there.

During the day 26 abandoned houses in adjacent Karbi villages of Mensing Ingleng and Sarthesiner, 25 at Teron and two at Rongpi villages were set ablaze.

A number of miscreants had also been apprehended from Rongpi village in connection with the violence there, the police said.

The situation in the ethnic strife hit district was stated to be 'tense' and the army, police and para-military forces were patrolling the affected and vulnerable areas.