Strike hits life in India state

A strike called by a powerful local student group has paralysed life in India's north-eastern state of Assam.

The strike has been called by the All Assam Students Union (Aasu) to protest against "failure of the government to check terrorism".

Shops, markets, schools and colleges are closed and public transport is off the roads.

The strike follows last week's serial bomb explosions in the state, in which nearly 80 people were killed.

Many out of nearly 200 others who were injured in the blasts are still in hospitals. Doctors say some of them are in serious condition and the death toll may rise further.

'Failure'

The Aasu has also called the 11-hour strike to protest against what it describes as "government's failure to check illegal migration from Bangladesh."

Agony in Assam

Assam violence Q&A

Meanwhile, the Assam police have arrested two people who they say owned some of the cars used for last week's explosions in the main city of Guwahati.

Six others have been detained for questioning because cars and motorcycles used in the explosions were traced to them.

But it seems some of them had sold off the vehicles a few months ago, the police said.

An investigation has been announced into the serial blasts.

The police suspect the separatist United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa) is behind the blasts. The group denies any role.

Separately, tribal rebels have killed three Hindi-speaking settlers in the state early on Monday, the police said.

The incident happened when rebels of the Karbi tribe attacked a village of Hindi-speaking settlers in the state's central district of Nagaon, pulled out three people from two houses and shooting them dead.

Those killed were small traders in the village.

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