Fresh tension gripped the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) in Assam on Sunday after the recovery of bodies of four Muslim traders, who were abducted by suspected militants of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit) from Labdanguri area in Baksa district of BTAD on Friday.
One body was recovered on Saturday night while three bodies were recovered on Sunday. Police said all the four victims hailed from neighbouring Barpeta district and were abducted when they had gone to procure lemon from farmers in remote villages.
Inspector General of Police (BTAD) L.R. Bisnoi told The Hindu police had to use force when a mob attacked the police party escorting the bodies for post-mortem, in protest against the killing of the traders. Police picked up eight persons for attacking the police party, in which several policemen, including the in-charge of Labdanguri patrol post, sustained injuries.
Following the abduction indefinite curfew was clamped in areas under Gobardhana and Anandabazar police station in Baksa district and along the northern side of railway line in Barpeta district.
The Assam government has announced ex gratia of Rs eight lakh each to the next of kin of four victims. The four victims have been identified as Ruhul Amin, Abu Bakkar Siddique, Saddam Hussain and Atowar Rahman.
An official release issued by the Home and Political Department stated that intelligence inputs had shown that abduction and subsequent killing of the four persons was the handiwork of NDFB (Songbijit) and it had been done by the outfit “to divert attention of the security force, which have been successfully conducting relentless counter-insurgency operations against this group, inflicting significant reverses on it in last six months.”
Intensive and combined patrolling by the Army, paramilitary and Assam Police forces in all the four BTAD districts of Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang and Udalguri and some lower Assam districts continued round the clock, while operation by the security forces were on to apprehend the NDFB (Songbijit) militants involved in the killings, the release added.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, after reviewing the situation on Saturday, directed the administration and security forces to take all possible steps to control the situation, bring the culprits to book. Mr Gogoi condemned the dastardly act of the militants and appealed to the people from all sections of society to show restraint and maintain calm.
The NDFB (Songbjit) is a breakaway faction of NDFB (Ranjan Daimary), which is currently engaged in dialogue with the Centre and the Assam Government. The NDFB (Songbijit) is clamouring for a “Sovereign Boroland.”
The BTAD Citizens’ Rights Forum has alleged that the abduction and killing of the traders in Baksa only showed that the Gogoi government had completely failed to protect the lives and properties of citizens in BTAD areas. Several minority groups also accused the State government of failing to provide protection to Muslims and other non-Bodo people in BTAD areas.
The administration in BTAD is run by the Bodoland Territorial Council that enjoys autonomy under Sixth Schedule in respect of 40 subjects in BTAD, excluding police and law and order, which are vested with the State government. The ruling party of the BTC—Bodoland People’s Front, recently withdrew its support for the Gogoi-led government, ending the eight-year coalition of the Bodo party with the Congress.
