No-one has the right to stop the election Indira Gandhi, Indian Prime Minister

Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi said that "no one has the right to stop the election".

Fresh polling has been ordered in some districts after booths were taken over, ballot boxes stolen and voters intimidated. Turnout was said to be low as militants warned local people not to go to the polls.

There are reported to be more than 70,000 police and paramilitary forces trying to keep order amid rioting and looting in several districts.

Groups of Assamese have been fighting immigrants from Bangladesh with machetes, petrol bombs and stones.

Some people died in these communal clashes between Hindus and Muslims while others were killed when security forces opened fire on crowds.

Many women and children are thought to have died in the rice growing area, with bodies found in streams.

Sixteen villages were burnt down and up to 6,000 people have been left homeless, with thousands living in a refugee camp.

Thousands of people are fleeing from Assam to the neighbouring state of West Bengal and to the north-eastern area of Arunachal Pradesh to escape the violence.

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