Guwahati: Under fire from student organisations for not taking a proactive role in the Pritam Bhattacharjee murder case, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday said he was in touch with the Bihar government and the railway authorities on the issue.
“Some level of dissatisfaction is inevitable in such matters. However, we have contacted the Bihar government and they have informed us that two persons have been arrested for involvement in the incident,” Gogoi told reporters here.
He said senior police officials from Bihar were camping at Naugachia in Bihar where Pritam’s body was recovered on July 16.
“We have lost a bright scholar and a meritorious student. We have lost a youth of calibre. We will pursue the case to its logical end,” Gogoi said.
The Assam Government will ask for a CBI probe into the murder case.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said here on Sunday, that his government was so far satisfied with the progress of investigation into the Pritam’s murder case and will press for a CBI inquiry only if needed.
‘So far, it appears that the Bihar Government is sincere in dealing with the case. We are not asking for a CBI inquiry now, but will do if necessary later,’ Mr Gogoi, responding to demands raised in the state for an independent probe into the student’s murder.
Quoting the Bihar Government information, Mr Gogoi said the two accused had been already arrested and police were on the hunt to nab others.
‘An inspector general of police has been deputed to deal with the case and the railways have also sent their high-level officials,’ he added.
The All Assam Students Union and local organisations in the Barak Valley, from where Pritam hailed, have resorted to agitation demanding punishment of the culprits and to ensure safety of railway passengers passing through Bihar.
The body of the Silchar-born student was recovered in a badly mutilated condition on July 16 from the railway track under Kataria overbridge, 12 km from Naugachia station in Bihar.
Pritam, who had boarded the Assam-Avadh Express from Guwahati on July 8, went missing from Naugachia station the next day, sources said.
The chief minister expressed his solidarity with the family of Pritam and said the death of the student was a loss to the nation.
He, however, refused to generalised the incident as routine attack targeting people from north east only and pointed out crimes happen all over and against all sections of people.
Miscreants had snatched his laptop and camera during the two-minute halt at the station and the 25 year-old youth was last seen chasing them on the platform. He was missing since then, sources added.
His body was later found near an overbridge, which was about 10 kilometres from Naugachia railway station, in a mutilated state. (Agencies)