Seven people arrested after severed cattle head was discovered close to Namghar in North Lakhimpur.

Similar to recent communal outbursts in Dhubri and Goalpara, a severed cattle head was discovered Tuesday near a Naamghar in Chiring Chuk, a village south of North Lakhimpur. The remains were discovered in Dhakuakhana, some 8 kilometers from the district headquarters, hidden in a sack among ferns next to the Naamghar.

 Seven people have been taken into custody by Lakhimpur Police in relation to the case. The defendants are Abu Kalam Ali and Jahidul Islam of Chukulibhoria; Sahar Ali, Dilwar Hussain, and Dildar Hussain of Deobeel Christian hamlet; and Monsur Ali and Razak Ali of Debera Rangchali.

The incident caused great anxiety among the locals, who believe it was an intentional attempt to break the long-standing communal harmony in the area. Speaking to the media, the villagers urged the community to avoid becoming victims of divisive agendas, strongly denounced the incident, and asked for calm.

According to them, the incident may have been the result of a plot by criminals having a stake in causing instability in the community. One of the village elders stated, "This is an attempt to sow seeds of discord among communities who have lived together peacefully for generations."

Locals have urged the district government and police to carry out a comprehensive inquiry and make sure the offenders are held accountable. This is the first Upper Assamese event of this kind to be reported. Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Harmeet Singh called a high-level review meeting in Dhubri on Tuesday after similar provocations were previously reported in the western Assam districts of Dhubri and Goalpara.

On June 13, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma issued a rigorous “shoot-at-sight at night” order in response to a series of provocations, including the finding of a severed cow head close to a Hanuman temple, provocative posters, and instances of stone-pelting at night. Strong steps will be made to maintain peace and communal harmony throughout Assam, the state government has promised, and any attempts to sow division will be met with harsh opposition.