Interesting observation by NDTV - which generally adopts a pseudo secular approach- under its Bengali (communist sympathising )leadership under Pranav Roy.
Umesh
"The Congress party hopes the amendment will help make up for some lost ground in Assam - as illegal migrants form a major vote bank. "
Bartta Bistar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Saturday, February 11, 2006 (Guwahati):Curfew in upper Assam has been extended to four more areas, including Kakopathar.
Army troops also launched a big operation to flush out ULFA militants in the area.
On Friday, public protests against the death of a civilian in army custody turned violent as suspected militants reportedly opened fire, using protestors as a shield.
Sonia Gandhi visit
The leader of the Congress party Sonia Gandhi who is in the state to campaign for elections has assured that innocent people would not be harassed.
"I have issued instructions that while handling the situation in Upper Assam innocent civilians should not be harassed," said Gandhi.
At least nine civilians and one security force member died in the gunfight.
A 15,000-strong mob set fire to Kakopathar police station and pelted stones at passing vehicles.
Gandhi is also addressing a public meeting in Tezpur and will also lay the foundation stone for Fakruddin Ali Ahmed College in Barpeta in Lower Assam.
Her visit to the state comes a day after the Central government decided to amend the Foreigners Act.
The Congress party hopes the amendment will help make up for some lost ground in Assam - as illegal migrants form a major vote bank.
http://www.manoramaonline.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=manorama/MmArticle/CommonFullStory&cid=1139553873264&c=MmArticle&p=1002194839100&count=10&colid=1002279818293&channel=News- -
As the villagers have started regrouping again, a stunned state administration is trying to take control of the situation and have sent fresh forces from other districts after complete collapse of administration. An official source confirmed that, police station, railway station, post office, government quarters and even passing vehicles were torched as 20,000 people simply overpowered everything that came in their way.
The unprecedented uprising took place following four days of tension in the area after the killing of a youth Ajit Mahanta, who was branded as ULFA by army. Another ULFA militant was killed at Makum yesterday afternoon and that led to fresh violence in nearby Makum town.
Deputy Commissioner of District Gautam Ganguly expressed helplessness as the entire area of 50 square ko has turned into a war zone with firing between the security forces and the ULFA militants and ordinary people lasting throughout the night. The state administration completely caved in as the political leadership were caught on wrong foot busy receiving Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Late Friday night Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi reviewed the situation with the top brass of Assam Police and rushed Minister and local MLA Pradyut Bordoloi to the spot to take control of the situation.
The Tinsukia district control room officials confirmed that violence had spread from Kakpothar to Penegeri and then to Makum resulting in army firing which left three girls, an old man and another youth dead, while angry mob killed a CRPF personnel. There was an unconfirmed report that other CRPF personnel were also stoned to death. However, police confirmed that two AK-47 rifles were snatched away by the angry crowd.
The mob also set the Makum post office on fire and damaged the Railway station and the tracks. The villagers were angry over the alleged ongoing army atrocities for sometime and custodial death of one person. The protestors also demanded that the army hand over the ''guilty officials'' to the ''peoples' court for justice''. The army has ordered an inquiry into Ajit Mahanta's death and has relieved two of its officers of their responsibilities. The army had earlier claimed that Mahanta who was picked up by them, died of injuries while trying to escape.
Mahanta was picked up on Sunday from Tirak village under Kakopathar police station and his body was found inside a gunny bag in the Assam Medical College Hospital in Dibrugarh on Monday morning.Six killed, curfew in Assam villagehttp://www.northeasttribune.com/5718.htmNET News NetworkGuwahati/Kakopathar,Feb 10: Army has taken seize of Digboi and virtually blackout the oil town after five persons were killed tonight in police firing and CRPF man stoned to death.Tales of heartrending incidents are unfolding as one survivor narrated about cold blooded killing of three girls by security personnel. " As the fracas broke out the protesters started running for shelter and three girls tried to hide behind a tree," said a shocked Thuleswar Chetia adding, " Security personnel shot dead all the three girls after putting guns on their heads".Reports have also poured in about killing of one Gopal Bailung who was shot dead as he came out of his residence after hearing commotion in the street. His house is situated in the heart of Kakopathar town.Demonstrators, protesting the death of a suspected ULFA activist in army custody, clashed with security personnel today setting ablaze a police station after which the army was called out and curfew imposed in the area.Police sources said five residents of Kakopathar village were killed in the police firing and a CRPF personnel in the stoning by a 15,000-strong mob which protested the death of suspected ULFA linkman Ajit Mahanta allegedly in army custody on Sunday.Residents of Kakopathar, from where Mahanta hailed and nearby villages, blocked a national highway since Monday in protest against the death Mahanta who the army alleged was an ULFA linkman.The villagers, who claimed Mahanta was an innocent man, have also dug up the highway that links Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh with the rest of the country.Tinsukia Deputy commissioner, G. Ganguly told northeasttribune.com that district administration was considering the possibility of imposing curfew in entire Tinsukia district as there were reports that the villagers were regrouping to launch further attacks on security personnel.The protestors demanded Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Ajai Singh personally assure them that there would be no more killing of innocent villagers in the name of counter-insurgency.Official sources, however, said an ULFA militant Ananta Neog was killed in a separate encounter between him and the army at Makum district. The protestors alleged that for the last two days no officer, either from the police or the district administration, had visited them.The protestors also demanded the army hand over the 'guilty officials' to the 'peoples' court of justice'.The army has ordered an inquiry into Mahanta's death and has relieved two of its officers from their responsibilities.The army had earlier claimed that Mahanta who was picked up by them died of injuries while trying to escape.Mahanta was picked up on Sunday from Tirak village under Kakopathar police station and his body was found inside a gunny bag in the Assam Medical College Hospital in Dibrugarh on Monday morning.Earlier the minister of State for Home, Rockybul Hussain, stated that the State Government has decided to engage the CID to go into the Kakopathar incident in which the Army allegedly killed Ajit Mahanta of Kakopathar-Dirak-Gossaigaon.One Additional Deputy Commissioner is already enquiring into the case, while, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Naba Kumar Das has been asked to study the case himself, Hussain said.Meanwhile the Guwahati police have arrested five ULFA militants in connection with bomb blasts, which were triggered prior to republic day celebration this year. The suspected ULFA militants have triggered as much as 26-bomb blast during the period.
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