The house of a Bodo villager set ablaze by tribals in Assam's Balidaga, in retaliation to the attacks by the NDFB(S). (Press Trust of India)
A 12-hour
bandh has been called by tribal organisations in six north Bengal districts tomorrow to protest against the attack and killing of adivasis by National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) in Assam.
The
bandh will begin at 6 AM and essential services would be exempted from its purview, Adivasi Vikas Morcha state president Birsa Tirkey said today.
The protest would be peaceful, he said.
The
bandh has been called by the Morcha and at least 15 other adivasi organisations of north Bengal.
West Bengal had witnessed protests by tribal bodies yesterday also against the Assam bloodbath. The Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal blockaded a key highway at Silda in West Midnapore district for about five hours.
In Malda district, tribals blocked the railway tracks at Eklakhi station in the Malda-Katihar division for six hours hitting train services to and from Assam.
The national highway linking Siiguri was also blocked by adivasi demonstrators on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, at least 500 affected people, including children and infants from Assam - both adivasis and Bodos have entered Kumargram, Barovisa, Changmari, Bitiibari, Balapara and Jashodanga areas in neighbouring Alipurduar district of West Bengal.
"More people are streaming in from Assam," District Additional Superintendent of Police Akash Megharia told Press Trust of India.
While, many of them are staying with their relatives, the Bengal government has put some of them at various schools in the area and at a community hall at Changmari, he said.
Cooked food, water and blankets are being provided to them, he added.
The attacks by NDFB(S) on Tuesday claimed 83 lives in Assam.