GUWAHTI, ASSAM, INDIA, January 29, 2006: At least 14 people, including eight priests, were injured on Sunday when government Border Security Forces (BSF) personnel opened fire and beat up devotees inside the premises of the world-famous Kamakhya Goddess temple after they were denied direct entry. Two BSF personnel and four other persons were also hurt in the scuffle, official sources said. Nineteen BSF personnel have been arrested by the police. The trouble began when a group of BSF men without arms wanted direct entry to the temple atop Neelachal hills, instead of waiting in the queue to offer prayers, official sources said. They were soon joined by their armed colleagues who went on the rampage and beat up people queued up to pay obeisance at the hillock shrine, sources said. The BSF men first beat up the priests and then destroyed shops around the temple premises. As panic gripped the area, the security men fired shots from their personal arms which injured eight priests, they added.
The Kamrup district administration has started a probe into the incident. The influential All Assam Students Union (AASU) strongly protested against the incident and urged the President and Prime Minister to initiate action against the culprits. The AASU has served a 24-hour ultimatum to punish the guilty and threatened to launch an agitation if action was not taken. The BSF could not be contacted for their comments.