Assam attacks cowardly attempts to spread fear: PM

New Delhi, May 3 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday condemned the violence in Assam and said that such attacks are "cowardly attempts to spread fear and terror".

Manmohan Singh said in a statement: "The attacks are cowardly attempts to spread fear and terror among our citizens. The government stands committed to fighting terror in all its forms."

He added that his heart reaches out and grieves for all those who lost their near and dear ones and other affected people.

Violence erupted in Assam's Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts (BTAD) May 1, when armed National Democratic Front of Bodoland cadres attacked villages in Baksa and Kokrajhar districts.

"The people of Assam have been braving terrorist attacks with courage and fortitude in the past. They have voted in large numbers in the polling for the general elections and I am confident they will continue to fight terror resolutely," Singh said.

The staggered elections in Assam for its 14 parliamentary constituencies took place April 7, 12 and 24.

Expressing shock and grief, Sigh urged the people to remain calm, ignore rumours and carry on with their activities normally. He assured that the central and the state government would take all measures to maintain law and order to restore normalcy.

According to the statement, the prime minister spoke to the chief minister and the home minister, directing them to restore normalcy.

The prime minister said the center will assist the state government in taking all measures to defeat the forces of terrorism.