KOKRAJHAR, July 15 ? Nine Adivasi camp inmates including four women and a children were killed and six others injured when suspected NDFB militants fired indiscriminately in the relief camp (Bhuraka-Maligaon) just 28 km way from Kokrajhar police station yesterday night at about 10.45 pm. The slain Adivasi camp inmates were identified as Fulmoni Kisku (25), F Hasda (32), Malbo Hembram (30), Fulmoni Hasdo (40), Rajda Murmu (33), Rupu Hasda (45), Suraj Murmu (13), C Hasda (20) and Uku Hasda (5).
Five injured persons were being treated in RNB Civil Hospital in Kokrajhar Superintendent of Police, Kokrajhar, Sri Anil Kr Phukan told The Assam Tribune that this is the handiwork of NDFB militants. He informed that a joint operation with Army and CRPF is going on to nab the miscreants. Zesu Hasda, a family member of a victim told this correspondent that at about 10.30 pm a group of 10-15 Bodo militants came and opened fire upon the camp inmates while most of the inmates were getting ready for dinner in the camp. Some were sitting outside their huts, he added. After indiscriminate firing the militants set fire to some of the huts. After the incident security forces rushed to the spot and took stock of the situation. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner, Kokrajhar, Dr AK Bhutani, has given Rs 5,000 as ex-gratia to the next kin of the victims. All Adivasi Students Association, Assam Surakshya Samiti, All Bodo Students Union and several other organisations condemned the brutal killing.
Our Staff Reporter adds: Sunday night killing of nine Adivasi villagers in Kokrajhar district by suspected NDFB militants might have been aimed at foiling Kokrajhar district administration?s bid to rehabilitate about 1,80,000 riot-hit people still lodged in relief camps of Kokrajhar and Gossaigaon districts. Even as the district administration is preparing to kick off the process of rehabilitation of about 17,000 camp inmates in the first phase beginning next Wednesday, NDF has struck terror among the Adivasis once again through the gruesome killing which may scare riot victims enough to stay put in the confinement of a relief camp. Sources informed that about 1,20,000 riot-hit people were still lodged in relief camps in Gossaigaon subdivision while about 60,000 others were in relief camps of Kokrajhar subdivision.
In the first phase the administration plans to rehabilitate about 17,000 riot-hit people on their own land in their original revenue or recognised forest villages where they will not require additional security. Out of this, 2000 people are to be rehabilitated from Wednesday next with 1300 from Gossaigaon subdivision camps and rest 700 from Kokrajhar subdivision camps. It is construed that the NDFB which had masterminded the Adivasi and non-Bodo cleansing during 1996 ethnic riot, doesn?t want Adivasis back in their own villages and has therefore, tried to create terror among them through the Sunday night attack.