GUWAHATI, Dec 27 NNN : Strongly refuting to allegation from some quarters that the army was behind the abduction and murder of tribal youths in western Assam’s Baksa district on December 21, the army said today that there was enough evidence to negate allegations. It was alleged that the army had conducted ‘secret killings’ at the behest of Assam governor J.B Patnaik.
To drive home its point, an army spokesman on Thursday said that Raj Kumar Rabha, one of the abducted youths found with multiple injuries stated that he was blindfolded during abduction and though he could see from the corner of an eye, none of his abductors were in battle fatigues. Besides, his abductors were speaking in local languages while the army unit deployed in that area is from Uttarakhand not conversant with local dialects.
Army authority said their operations were always directed against terrorists and their sympathisers. The army source also said that the three youth allegedly abducted, one of whom was found dead, did not have any known affiliation with any terrorist organization, and so there was no apparent reason for action against them.
Rabha, along with Kundan Basumatary and Rajib Basumatary, went missing from the Narayanpur area of Baksa district in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD). Rajib was found dead two days after their alleged abduction on December 21.
One of the brothers of the deceased subsequently lodged an FIR at Tamulpur police station accusing the army’s 2 Kumaon Regiment of abducting the trio. While chief minister Tarun Gogoi ordered a judicial inquiry, Chief Executive Member (CEM) of Bodoland Territorial Area Districts Hagrama Mohilary accused Governor J.B Patnaik of using the army for an anti-tribal operation.
It is worth noting here that Governor J.B Patnaik is the constitutional head of BTAD, which has been restive following weeks of communal violence since June this year.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/army-denies-baksa-killing-report/
