Assam CM vows strong action against NDFB(S)

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who visited violence-hit Kokrajhar on Sunday, said that his government was not going to be bogged down by such a dastardly act by militants and was determined to bring to book those responsible for killing 14 innocent civilians.

In a hard-hitting statement after visiting the Balajan Tinali market where NDFB(S) rebels killed 14 people on Friday, Mr Sonowal told reporters, “We are committed to protecting the people of the state. Whoever is involved in the attack won’t be spared.”

Meanwhile, security forces have been kept on high alert across the state in the wake of intelligence reports, indicating that militants were planning to strike in the run up to Independence Day.

Assam DGP Mr Mukesh Shahay, who accompanied the chief minister during the Kokrajhar visit, told reporters, “It was a planned attack by the NDFB(S). We have concrete evidence on top NDFB(S) leaders operating from Myanmar, giving instructions to their field commanders to attack civilians.”

Asserting that security forces were capable of foiling such attempts, Mr Shahay also clarified that the parents of slain NDFB(S) militant had been pressurized not to identify the body. “We have sent a sample of slain militant, Manjay Islary, commander of 16th Battalion of NDFB(S), for a DNA test to ascertain his identity,” said the DGP.

Former CM Prafulla Kumar Mahanta condemned the killing of civilians and advised the state to step up operations against the insurgents.

He also stressed the need to intensify security arrangements in vulnerable areas of the state. “It’s a very unfortunate incident. We hope such an incident will never happen again. We have come here to find out the actual facts. The ongoing investigation should reveal the truth,” said Mr Mahanta. “Giving security to people is the duty of an elected government and it has to fulfill this,” he said. Earlier, on Saturday, the Assam chief minister also reviewed the preparations for Independence Day at the council of ministers meeting.

Mr Sonowal also discussed the law and order situation in the state following the militant attack in Kokrajhar and directed the police and security forces to intensify operations against the extremists.