Date : 2006-02-13 Assam government to probe police firing
http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=17019
Lakhyajit Gohain.- Asian Tribune
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Guwahati: 13 February, (Asiantribune.com): After five days of unrest and violent public uprising against the death of one Ajit Mahanta whilst in army custody in Tinisukia district of the northeastern state of Assam, Indian Army has come forward and gave Rs 1 lakh 5 thousands as compensation to Mahantas family.
Assam government has also announced Rs 5 lakhs as ex-gratia grant to the family of the deceased.
However tension continued to prevail in Tinisukia district following the police firing killing at least nine and injuring several others who protested against the custodial death of Ajit Mahanta.
An indefinite curfew, which remained in force had been further clamped at four more towns in the district following the protests. No untoward incident had been reported from any parts of the district.
The GOC, Eastern Command of Indian Army Lt Gen Arvind
Sharma visited the troubled torn Tinisukia district and reviewed the situation with the state government officials on Sunday. He visited Mahantas house and handed over the compensation to the family.
Lt Gen Sharma has announced that Army would construct Mahantas house, adopt both his little children and provide job to his wife.
Ajit Mahanta was picked up by Army from his house allegedly as a militant linkman. Later his body had been handed over to his family with injury marks.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in a statement on Sunday said that he had took up the matter with Union Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and requested him to take stern action against the guilty Army personnel. "The Defence minister has issued necessary instructions to the army authority in this regard. He also assured that court martial will be instituted against the concerned Army
personnel and appropriate action will be taken," the statement said.
The custodial death of Ajit Mahanta had sparked off tension at Kakapathar area in the district. People in thousands protested against the incident and vandalized police stations, government offices and passing vehicles compelling police to fire on Friday. At least nine people had been killed in police firing and one paramilitary jawan was stoned to death by irate mob.
Meanwhile the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom(ULFA) and All Assam Student Union (AASU) have called for 12 hour statewide bandh on February 13 and 14 respectively in protest against the Fridays police firing.
The Assam government has instituted a judicial probe with a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India to the police firing incident at Kakapathar. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today announced to release Rs 3 lakhs each
to the next kin of the persons died in the incident.
- Asian Tribune -
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