Guwahati, June 2: Assam’s leader of the Opposition, Debabrata Saikia, has formally moved Union home minister Rajnath Singh seeking a judicial inquiry into the March 30 “fake encounter” deaths in Chirang district, besides firm steps to prevent a repeat as the home ministry has a “big say on security matters” in the state.

He sought the probe based on media reports on allegation made by CRPF inspector-general Rajnish Rai in an April 17 letter to his senior official and Assam chief secretary V.K. Pipersenia, among others, that the “encounter” that took place near Simlaguri village under Amguri police station in Chirang district in which Lucas Narzary and David Islary, two suspected members of the NDFB (S), were killed, was staged by personnel of Assam police, the army, CRPF and SSB.

Rai had also said the weapons which the security forces claimed to have seized from the victims were planted by the security personnel.

The encounter site is about 200km west of Guwahati.

The state government has already ordered two probes into the incident – one to be conducted by the inspector-general of police of BTAD, under which Chirang falls, and the other by a subdivisional magistrate of Chirang to conduct a detailed magisterial inquiry according to NHRC guidelines. Public hearing in connection with the magisterial inquiry will be held on June 8.

Saikia’s request, made in a letter to Singh today, will not only bolster the demand for a high-level impartial probe by human rights groups and organisations such as Absu but also pile pressure on the BJP-led state government to be seen as acting on the ground by expediting the probe in the “alarming” incident.

His letter said the continuance of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and the three-tier Unified Command meant “that the Union home ministry has a big say on security matters in Assam”.

The chief secretary-headed Unified Command in Assam has a strategic and operational group, the latter led by the GOC 4 Corps. Counter-insurgency operations on the ground are conducted jointly by security personnel.

Saikia also recalled how “fake encounters or secret killings” had emerged as an “emotive” issue in Assam at one point of time (without mentioning that it took place during the AGP’s second stint at Dispur).

Therefore, “without dwelling too much on the past”, Saikia urged Singh to initiate a judicial inquiry into the incident of “fake encounter” and also take “stern steps to prevent recurrence of such undemocratic and inhumane” actions.

By raising the secret killings of the past, the Congress leader has also subtly attacked the AGP, which is a coalition partner of the state government at Dispur, making it clear that it will not let go of any opportunity to expose the law and order situation, party insiders said.

Such was the anger against secret killings that it was one of the key factors for the ouster of the AGP from power by the Congress in 2001.

Umanand Jaiswal The Telegraph