LUMDING, May 13 – The people of Lumding in general and the employees of Lumding railway division in particular have expressed deep concern over the unabated extortions and killings in Karbi Anglong and NC Hills districts by extremists violating all norms of ceasefire.
The railway employees, through their trade unions, have submitted memorandums to the General Manager, Divisional Railway Manager, NF Railway and other concerned authority, expressing deep concern over the extortion in the form of monthly payment from the salary of the employees, extortion of high amount from the middle class employees, kidnapping the well-to-do employees for ransom and killing of the employees in case of failure to fulfil the demand of the extremists.
The recent killing of Nareshwar Kalita, Asst Station Master, and Rajendra Prasad, P Man of Daldali railway station, near Diphu, Karbi Anglong, is a clear indication of the facts cited above. It is learnt from reliable sources that most of the employees serving in Karbi Anglong and NC Hills districts have been paying certain amount from their salary to the extremists groups regularly.
As a matter of fact, there are so many groups of extremists (DHD, NDFB, UPDS) who are placing their demands to the employees and non-employees under different banners. The pro-talk faction and ‘anti-talk factions’ are nothing but vague terms as far as the extortion of money and killing of the employees are concerned. All these groups are collecting money and using arms, violating all norms of ceasefire agreement in both the districts. Even in Lumding village area monthly, half-yearly and annual collection from the villagers is a known fact.
While the truce with Dima Halom Daogah and United Peoples’ Democratic Solidarity has resulted in ceasefire with the government security forces this has given the ultras a free hand to violate the agreement, leading to harassment of the innocent people of the two districts.