Over 300 Special Police Officer (SPO)s, engaged in counter-insurgency and security duties in southern Assam’s Dima Hasao district, came out of their barracks on Friday night with arms and ammunitions. They marched towards the city seeking salary arrears and permanent employment. However, they called off their agitation on Saturday following written assurances by the State Government to fulfil their demands.
Train services in the State were disrupted as the Northeast Frontier Railway cancelled five trains, short-terminated or partially cancelled five trains passing through Lumding division as the agitating armed SPOs were marching along the railway track. As a result thousands of passengers were stranded in different railway stations in the State. Following withdrawal of the agitation, train services were resumed.
Home Commissioner G.D. Tripathi told The Hindu that the State Government had given written assurances to the agitating SPOs that they would be paid monthly salary of Rs 8,200 and their salary pending since March 2013 would be paid by December 31. They would be given priority during recruitment of personnel for the third battalion of the Assam Industrial Security Force which was planned to be raised by June 2015. The SPOs alleged that though they were promised salary of Rs 8,200 they were paid only Rs 6,000 a month.
