In July 2012, violence in the Indian state of Assam broke out with riots between indigenous Bodos and Bengali Muslims (locally called or known by the name Miyas) in the Bodoland region of North East, India.

[13][14] On 27 July 2012, Assam's Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi blamed the UPA led national government for a "delay in army deployment to riot-hit areas".

[15] The next day, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited the relief camps in Kokrajhar and called the recent violence a blot on the face of India.

Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram visited the state on Monday, 30 July to review the security situation and the relief and rehabilitation measures being taken.

[16] Lok Sabha member from Kokrajhar, Sansuma Khunggur Bwiswmuthiary blamed illegal immigration for the violence in the state.

[19] The violence and exodus of thousands of people from Northeast India reportedly led to a series of incessant protests in Assam, at multiple locations, during the months of August–September.

The tribal leaders said illegal immigration has threatened the existence, right to land and resources of all indigenous people of the entire state, and it was not limited to BTAD alone.

[22][23] By the mid-1970s, increased competition for livelihood, land and political power led to frequent incidents of violence, including the Nellie massacre after the controversial 1983 state elections, which left nearly 3,000 dead, and other large scale clashes.

[22][24] In 1998, Srinivas Kumar Sinha, who was the governor of Assam at the time, had sent a report to then Indian President, KR Narayanan, explaining the problems the unchecked illegal immigration of Bangladeshis would bring to the integrity of India.

[32] The violence continued despite the efforts of the state law enforcement agencies, and on 24 July 2012, India's central government deployed paramilitary forces and 13 columns of the Indian Army to the affected districts.

Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh stated that there were signs of improvement and called upon the Assam government to immediately act against the "ring leaders" of both factions.

[35] The Prime Minister ordered an inquiry committee to be set up to look into the violence, and directed the state government to provide security so that the affected people can return home.

[9] The Centre has authorized the Assam government to deploy more than 11,000 paramilitary personnel in the state's violence-hit districts and has dispatched a relief plane with medical teams and supplies.

7,300 paramilitary personnel were deployed in strife-torn Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts after moving them from other states in the wake of clashes between Bodos and Bengali-speaking Muslims.

[9] AIUDF leader Badruddin Ajmal claimed that the state administration was complicit in the violence and demanded a CBI inquiry into the riots.

[37] Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, recommended a CBI probe into the clashes in BTAD and Dubri districts and claimed "internal and external forces were at work".

[39] According to the Times of India, some 14 Muslim groups which came into existence in the last 20 years are under observation by intelligence agencies after inputs suggested that their activities were "inimical to peace and social harmony".

[43] Further investigation led to the arrest of the real culprit behind the 2012 ethnic clash, who has been identified as an Assam Police Constable Mohibur Islam alias Ratul who is currently absconding.

[49][50][51] Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik said it was around 3 pm when the crowd turned violent, after some protesters displayed "provocative photos" of the Assam violence.

[59] While condemning the violence caused by rioters, All India Secular Forum social activist Irfan Engineer blamed Raza Academy for being parochial in nature.

[60] On 14 August 2012, Bal Thackeray, the chief of Shiv Sena and editor of Saamna newspaper published an editorial condemning the Congress-ruled Maharashtra government for "bowing" before "anti-national" Muslims who went on the rampage in south Mumbai.

[46] On 17 August 2012, Muslim mobs resorted to large scale violence against mediapersons, bystanders, shops, vehicles and tourists in several cities including Lucknow, Kanpur and Allahabad.

[67] Gadkari said the violent mob in Mumbai had waved a Pakistani flag, made provocative remarks and vandalised the martyrs' memorial.

[68] DGP Dinesh Reddy of Andhra Pradesh State, said, "Police have been deployed at all localities with a sizeable North-East population, to boost the community's confidence.

"[69] A policeman at Chennai Egmore station, where Howrah-bound trains from the South make a brief halt, remarked about the exodus: "The large crowds remind me of the arrival of Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka decades ago.

[70] The culprits are believed to have shown clippings of violence in Assam and told a group of Northeast youth that they would face a similar fate if they continued to stay in Bangalore beyond 20 August.

[71] Investigators traced the source of hate messages to Islamist groups such as Popular Front of India, Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami, Manita Neeti Pasarai and Karnataka Forum for Dignity.

The SMS campaign was designed to create panic among people from the Northeast forcing them to flee and to damage the social fabric and economy.

[75] Messages were circulated warning people of Northeastern states of India to leave Bangalore and other cities before Eid al-Fitr (the festival that marks the end of Ramadan) which was on 20 August 2012.

An assurance was given by Anwar Sharieff, chairman of the Jumma Masjid Trust Board, to people from the Northeast of the rumors spread being baseless.