NIA files charge sheet over December massacre in Assam

 

Guwahati, July 13  Six months after Bodo militant outfit NDFB massacred close to 80 innocent civilians in a series of attacks in Assam, the NIA on Monday filed a charge sheet, naming four leaders of the insurgent group.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Guwahati filed the charge sheet before the Special NIA Court here and named the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) anti-talk faction's self-styled commanding officer Ajay Basumatary alias B. Buhum, deputy commander Nitul Daimary, assistant forest secretary Dilip Basumatary and second lieutenant Khamrei Basumatary as accused.

A statement issued by the NIA said the four have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Substances Act, and Arms Act.

On December 23 last year, the NDFB faction opposed to talks fired indiscriminately at civilians in five locations in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Sonitpur districts, leading to death of 78 people and injuries to many others.

The charge sheet pertains to the attack on Adivasis in Sonajuli village in Biswanath Chariali in Sonitpur district, which led to the death of 30 civilians.

The NIA was able to collect evidence on the basis of field investigation as well as technical and forensic tools.

The Assam government had handed over the probe to the NIA and the investigating agency's chief Sharad Kumar visited the violence affected areas in Kokrajhar and Sonitpur districts in January. 

Following the December 23 attack, security forces deployed in Assam including the army intensified their operations against the NDFB, particularly along the Bhutan border.

Assam Director General of Police Khagen Sarma earlier said the intensified operations led to the killing of 10 senior cadres of the NDFB and the arrest of over 300 cadres and linkmen in the past few months.

He said the continued operation also resulted in improvement in the law and order situation and seizure of over 100 sophisticated arms and 62.5 kg of explosives.