Teen shot infront of parents
Guwahati: A 16-year-old girl, a student of Class X, was shot dead in front of villagers by militants of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Sangbijit faction) or the NDFB –S, in a remote forest village called Dwimuguri under Runikhata police station in Chirang district in Bodoland areas of Assam sending shock waves throughout the state.
The dastardly murder has been termed an avenge killing by the outfit.
Priya Basumatary (16) was shot dead in front of village people on August 20 last by the militants accusing her of being an informer of police.
A chilling video of the killing has surfaced which was aired by local television channels.
The video, sent by the NDFB militants and was being aired by television channels since Friday night, showed a 16-year-old girl lying slumped on the ground in a pool of blood in the presence of her parents and residents of Dwimugri village under Runikhata police station in the district.
An NDFB(S) militant claimed in the video that the girl was killed for being ‘an informer’ and it was a warning to others. He also claimed and that the militants of his group were killed not by the army, but by the rival NDFB (Daimary).
According to PTI, Government spokesman and Industries minister Pradyut Bordoloi said a probe would be ordered into the killing by militants of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit). He said that the veracity of reports that the girl’s body was lying in a field in the village for the past two days as her parents were afraid to retrieve it, would be verified. The government would also take action against any policeman found guilty of dereliction of duty, he said.
Villagers alleged that the police reached the spot only after the video was telecast. A police spokesman said that the body of the girl was retrieved and sent for post mortem examination.
Assam Police informed that the girl was eliminated by the militants as revenge after police had gunned down five NDFB-S cadres on August 19 last while they were taking shelter in the residence of the village.
The NDFB-S accused the girl of passing on the information about the presence of the militants to police through her boy friend who is a member of rival NDFB (Ranjan Daimary faction) that is in truce with the Government of India.
Next day, a group of armed NDFB-S members came to the forest village and commandeered the villagers to gather at a spot where they shot dead Priya in full view of the villagers.
The dastardly murder of a teenage girl has been condemned by all organisations throughout the state.
The slain girl was daughter of a poor farmer, Niren Basumatary and a student of Runikhata Girls’ High School.
Condemning the incident, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi announced that the government would institute a bravery award in the name of Priya who showed exemplary courage against marauding militants.
Quoting the villagers, the spokesman said a group of heavily armed militants dragged the girl out from her house alleging she was a police informer and and shot her dead from close range in the presence of her parents and them.
The incident triggered widespread condemnation. All Assam Students’ Union Advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya described it as “a barbaric incident which does not happen in civilised society… This particular killing indicates the level of lawlessness prevailing in the state”.
The All Bodo Students’ Union said it demonstrates the deteriorating law and order in four districts under the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD).
Advisor of the All Bodo Women’s Welfare Federation Romila Islari said the people in the four districts live in constant fear.
The NDFB(Ranjan Daimary) faction has been helping Assam Police in its operation against the NDFB-S militants who have refused to come to negotiation with the government.
The NDFB-S is a breakaway faction of the parent NDFB led by Ranjan Daimary. (With inputs from PTI)