 Guwahati, Sunday, February 12, 2006 Kakopathar tense; death toll rises to 8 From SC Pathak TINSUKIA, Feb 11 The situation in the Kakopathar-Dirak area seems to have calmed down with the clamping of indefinite curfew and Army flag march since yesterday. The number of deaths in yesterdays police firing has risen up to eight with the death of Wahida Ahmed (30) in Assam Medical College Hospital, Dibrugarh and Golap Bailung (70) in a private nursing home at Rupai today. However, except for Dipon Moran (21), the other four bodies of women brought to Tinsukia last night have not been identified. Moreover, eight injured persons are still under treatment at AMCH, Dibrugarh. CRPF Havilder, Umesh Ojha was lynched by the protesters to death in the incident. According to the district magistrate, Sri Gautom Ganguly, who was present in the place of occurrence at Lazum Bridge, about 5 km from Kakopathar town, the rallyists were persuaded to negotiate with him and even some of the leaders were ready to talk and they tried to pacify the fellow rallyists. But from behind, some people instigated the people with provocative slogans etc and pushed ahead towards the barricade set up by the police. In the melee, as informed by Sri Ganguli at Kakopathar today to mediapersons, some CRPF personnel mingled with the rallyists and the rallyists then surrounded these security personnel and beat them up with lathi, dao, sickle. They also pelted stone from the newly-built bridge. The injured security personnel except Ojha could escape and retreated towards Kakopathar town while firing in the air. In the meantime, another big group of people tried to sneak into the town from the opposite side. At this, the rallyists chased the security personnel by pelting stones etc and tried to trap the security personnel. The District Magistrate having no other alternative had to order for firing upon the unruly mob. However, according to some other sources, firing was ordered instantly and without any provocation. Some organizations that visited Kakopathar today alleged that the incident could have been averted if proper measures were taken in time. As per Dr Arun Sharma, the local MP the State Government is fully responsible for the incident in which innocent people were killed by the security personnel. The State government, according to him, should have pacified the people who resorted to road blockade in protest of killing of innocent villager Ajit Mahanta in Army custody. The present government had also allowed the Army to continue the torture of innocent villagers in the name of counter insurgency. Sri Pradyut Bordoloi who came to visit Kakopathar and the Dirak area, which falls under his constituency, said that the incident was most unfortunate. Sri Dipak Narayan Dutta, the Director General of Police also visited Kakopathar and Dirak and took stock of the situation. He said that the situation was such that the firing was the only way to control it and curfew was clamped to check further deterioration of the situation. In the meantime, the indefinite curfew was extended to Doomdooma PS area in addition to the areas under Pengeree PS and Kakopathar PS. It may be mentioned that yesterday in Makum town, the buildings of Railway station, Post Office and Telephone Exchange have been set ablaze by irate mob of Barekuri area who came out in hundreds after Army killed one Ananta Neog claimed to be an ULFA militant, in protest, alleging that Army resorted to torture of the innocent villagers. Subsequently, the district authority has clamped curfew for indefinite period in the Makum PS area. In Kakopathar area, eerie silence prevailed but according to some locals, it is feared that many injured persons might be in the area who were unable to come out for treatment due to curfew. DGP Sri Dutta said that a special team would be deployed to search for the injured person for helping them to get treatment. Meanwhile, Peoples Committee for Peace Initiative in Assam, a non-political body consisting of about 21 organizations condemned the incident of firing in which many innocent people have lost life as well as some got injuries. The spoke persons of the organization said that they submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister demanding judicial enquiry, withdrawal of military and paramilitary forces from the State, compensation of Rs 15 lakh each to the families of the deceased etc. |
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