Abducted trader’s body found

The bullet-riddled body of an abducted businessman, Raju Saha, 28, was recovered from the Serfanguri area in Kokrajhar district late last evening.

Police sources said the body, with injury marks in the head, was recovered from near National Highway 31 in Serfanguri.

The body was founda few hours after security forces shot dead an NDFB cadre of the Songbijit faction, Pripri Mushahary, inside Ripu forest in the district.

The police said acting on a tip-off about the presence of some NDFB cadres in the area, a joint team of the police and army carried out a search operation. One NDFB cadre was killed in the exchange of fire that took place yesterday around 1pm. Another escaped. One 7.65mm pistol, two rounds of live ammunition and a mobile phone were recovered from the slain militant.

The militants killed the businessman to avenge the killing of one of their cadres.

Unidentified men from Dotma in Kokrajhar abducted the businessman on the evening of February 2. Saha, whose family owns a stationary shop in Dotma bazaar, was whisked away by three youths, who came in two motorcycles. The men also opened fire in the air as the family members shouted for help. The stationary shop is next to their residence.

Repoll uncertain in riot zone - Indigenous groups blame govt - 12-hour Bandh to protest violence

Trucks carrying security personnel keep vigil in Goalpara on Wednesday.

Different organisations representing tribal communities of the state were up in arms against the Assam government, holding it “solely responsible” for yesterday’s panchayat poll violence in the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) area.

They have also called a 12-hour statewide bandh on Saturday to protest against the death of 19 people in the violence.

Rabha violence toll touches 20

Rabha violence toll touches 20

The death toll in the troubled Rabha Hasong area climbed to 20 on Wednesday with the recovery of seven more bodies killed in group clashes on Tuesday, even as miscreants burnt a village and a vehicle on national highway later in the day.

State home secretary GD Tripathy said curfew in Krishnai and Mornoi police station areas is on and shoot-on-sight orders have been given. The army is patrolling the entire Rabha-Hasong area and assisting the civil administration in controlling the situation.

The violent protest by Rabhas against holding panchayat elections in Rabha-Hasong Autonomous Council area has now taken an ugly turn with Muslims retaliating at different locations against Rabhas.

On Wednesday morning, Muslim villagers waylaid a police team carrying bodies of three Rabhas killed in the police firing for post mortem at Bolbola near Krishnai.

Assam: 8 dead in police firing as mob attacks polling booth during panchayat elections

There was news of violence from lower Assam where panchayat polls were underway. Eight people died in police firing after a mob of 400 men and women from the Rabhas community armed with iron rods, axes, machetes and sticks attacked a polling station and indulged in arson. The death toll is likely to increase.

Reports say that the mob tried to resist poll officials from entering the booth. However, the exact cause of the violence is yet to be ascertained.

Ulfa leaders meet on Chetia

A meeting of the central committee members of the Arabinda Rajkhowa faction of Ulfa was held today at a private lodge in Dispur.

Issues related to extradition of the outfit’s “general secretary” Anup Chetia from Bangladesh and the faction’s next round of talks with the Centre was discussed at today’s meeting.

Apart from Rajkhowa, senior leaders such as Ulfa vice-chairman Pradeep Gogoi, foreign secretary Sasadhar Choudhury, publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary, cultural secretary Pranati Deka, among others, were present at the meeting.

Gogoi said the issue of Chetia’s extradition following last month’s signing of an extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh, was discussed at the meeting.

“We believe that signing of the extradition treaty will expedite the process of Chetia’s extradition, which will give a new momentum to our ongoing talks with the Centre,” he said.

Gogoi said they are hopeful that Chetia will withdraw his appeal for asylum in Bangladesh, which is currently pending with the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and the Centre, and will take the necessary steps to bring him to India so that he can take part in the peace talks.