Guwahati: ‘Super Cop’, K P S Gill has stirred the proverbial hornet’s nest through his reported comment that the first martyr of Assam Agitation, Khargeswar Talukdar, was not killed because of police action but died after getting drowned in a pond.
Comments made on Sunday before the media in Tezpur in Assam where Gill had gone to grace a function of North East Sports Foundation, have drawn flak from various quarters in Assam where his effigies were burnt by the protestors.
A reported comment made by ‘super cop’ K P S Gill during his recent visit to Assam on the first martyr of Assam Agitation against illegal migrants when he was a senior police officer in the State, has drawn ire from various quarters in the state.
During an interaction with the media at Tezpur in north Assam Gill reportedly commented that the first martyrs of Assam Agitation, Khargeswar Talukdar, was not killed in police action on December 10, 1979 but he died after getting drowned in a pond while police were giving a hot chase to some of the agitators.
He pointed out that the post mortem report mentioned that there was no injury mark on Talukdar’s body.
That day K P S Gill, then DIG of Assam police, was leading the police action at Bhawanipur in Barpeta district and he was blamed for death of Talukdar by the people of Assam. Talukdar was declared the first martyrs of Assam Agitation (1979-1985) by the agitation leaders belonging to All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and Asom Gana Sangram Parishad (AGSP).
The AASU’s president Sankar Prasad Rai has called Gill as a liar stated that it was K P S Gill who had beaten up Khargeswar Talukdar black and blue that led to his death. The AASU leader said people of Assam would never pardon Gill for the atrocities he had perpetrated on innocent non-violent agitators during Assam Agitation in the capacity of a senior police officer.
“Gill’s comment an insult not only to Talukdar but also all the 855 martyrs of the agitation,” the AASU leader said. AASU also burnt effigies of Gill in protest.
Asam Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) burnt effigy of K P S Gill and demanded withdrawal of his comment that has hurt the people of Assam.
Opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) which was formed by Assam Agitation leaders also termed Gill’s comment a fresh insult to the people of Assam.
Gill also reportedly commented that it was a mistake to launch Operation Bajrang by Indian Army in Assam against ULFA insurgents in 1990s as Assam Police was an able force to tackle the problem.