Ex-BPF MLA among 3 Bodo leaders picked up, student’s body protest

Kokrajhar: Assam Police on Saturday morning picked up former BPF MLA Hitesh Basumatary for allegedly possessing illegal arms and trying to create a new rebel outfit.

A huge cache of weapons including an AK series rifle and an M-16 rifle were recovered from Basumatary’s house in Mauhalpur in Baksa district during a search operation by Kokrajhar police, the police claimed.
The police have also arrested two other Bodo leaders – Daorao Dekhreb Narzary, the working president of the Bodoland Janajati Suraksha Mancha (BJSM) and Bikram Daimary, the president of the Bodoland Contractors Association (BCA).

The three were arrested in BTR for suspected activities of forming a new freedom fighter outfit.
BJSM working president and former Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC) EM Daorao Dekhreb Narzary was arrested from his residence in Kokrajhar on Saturday morning, sources said.

Former MLA Hitesh Basumatary was arrested from his Mushalpur residence in Baksa district early today. He was later brought to Kokrajhar for questioning.
The police team recovered one AK-47 rifle, one M-16 rifle, two magazines and 126 rounds of ammunition from his residence, an official said.

On the other hand, Bodoland Contractors Association President Bikram Daimary was arrested from his father-in-law’s house under Sapakta police post of Gossaigaon sub-division of Kokrajhar district.
Nabanita Sarma, Additional SP, Kokrajhar claimed that a group of people is trying to bring a new militant outfit in BTR.

He said that based on specific inputs, the police arrested three persons – DD Narzary, Hitesh Basumatary and Bikram Daimary for allegedly trying to create a new freedom fighter outfit.

He also said that two of the three arrested persons have been remanded by the police for five days for questioning while the third has been sent to jail.

He further said that the cross-examination is going on and everything will be revealed after the investigation is completed.
Reacting strongly to the police action, Bodo National Students’ Union (BONSU) president, Bonjit Munjil Basumatary said Bodo leaders were arrested by the police on false charges.

“There is no truth in the police’s claim that arms and ammunition have been recovered from their houses. It is a completely baseless allegation,” Basumatay said.

He said that it could be a conspiracy by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to suppress the voice of the people against the wrong policies of the government.
He said that BJSM working president Daorao Dekhreb Narzary raised his voice against the government’s move to de-reserve ST constituencies in the delimitation process.

He further said that Narzary used to raise voice for protection of tribal belt and blocks and illegal encroachment on tribal lands.

He demanded that Narzary and other arrested leaders be released unconditionally.