Kokrajhar attack: Rajnath avoids mention of NDFB(S)

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, making a suo motu statement in Parliament on Monday, refused to name the outfit responsible for the violence.

The BJP-led governments at the Centre and Assam do not seem to be on the same page on the Kokrajhar market killings.

While Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said last week that the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbjit) was “directly involved” in the killings, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, making a suo motu statement in Parliament on Monday, refused to name the outfit responsible for the violence, saying merely that “the exact number of militants and the militant group involved in the attack was being investigated”.

Mr. Singh said “external agencies and forces” were involved in supplying arms and ammunition to the banned terror outfits in Assam. “I have taken up the matter with the Assam government and the security forces in the State to track down the militants involved in this attack, so that they are brought to justice,” Mr. Singh said in the Lok Sabha.

Giving details of the August 5 incident, Mr. Singh said there was a militant attack at a crowded weekly market at Balajan Tiniali in Kokrajhar district of Assam.

“Fifteen innocent persons — eight Bodo men, one woman, one child and four others — lost their lives in the attack. Nineteen persons seriously injured are under treatment in various hospitals of the district and the State capital,” the Minister said.

Exact number unclear

Mr. Singh said the State police and security forces had reacted swiftly and neutralised one militant whose identity was yet to be established.

An AK 56 rifle, two magazines of live ammunition and one grenade were recovered from the slain militant.

To a suggestion regarding handing over the investigation to the NIA, the Minister said, “The State government is investigating the matter. If it is not going on properly, then we will speak with the State government and hand it over to the NIA.”

An ex gratia of Rs. 5 Lakh has been provided to the next of kin of those killed, Rs. 1 lakh to those seriously injured and Rs 20,000 to those with simple injuries. The attack was also raised in the Rajya Sabha by Congress member Santiuse Kujur, who called on the Centre to relaunch “Operation All Out” to eliminate NDFB(S) militants. Launched in December 2014, the campaign was later withdrawn.