Eight girls from Gossaigaon College have been allegedly molested by IRB personnel inside the compartment of Brahmaputra Mail.

Abhideep  Choudhury

Who will protect us from the protectors? This is the question which like a cobweb is present in  the mind of the people from this part of India.

The tyranny of the Punjab police, the killing of Manorama   Devi and now the molestation of the tribal students by the personnel of the Indian Reserve Battalion IRB (Haryana) at Salakati.

The incident occurred when eight girls from Gossaigaon College boarded the 4056 up Brahmaputra Mail to attend the G.U Inter College Youth Festival 2005-06 in Kokrajhar College. It has been alleged that   the girls were molested by IRB personnel inside their compartment.

A few co-travelers informed the ABSU members about the incident over their cell phones sources said. And when the train reached Kokrajhar, ABSU members rescued the girls from the molesters but before they can apprehend the molesters, the train left the station and the Kokraghar unit of ABSU informed their Salakati counterparts.

As soon as the train was stopped at Salakati station, a huge crowd started pelting stones aiming the IRB compartment

In a bid to disperse the agitated crowd the IRB personnel opened fire and killed two youths identified as Thomas Basumatary and Ramen Basumatery on the spot and another Raju Basumatary of Salakati succumbed to the bullet injury while being taken to the hospital. One IRB personnel, Birendra Kumar, who was hit by Assam Police bullet died at R. N. Brahma Civil Hospital, Kokrajhar. More than 10 persons including   the I/C of Salakati OP and a few   IRB jawans were also injured in     the incident.

Two trucks of Harayana were gutted down by the irate mob of Ramgalbill at around 9:30 am on December 25.

Various organizations have condemned the incident. President of AASU Sankar Prasad Ray and ABSU president Rangwra Narjary visiting the site strongly  condemned the act of the IRB jawans. Assam Health Minister Dr. Bhumidhar Barman who visited Salakati on December 24 announced Rs. three lakh as compensation for the family of the deceased students. BJP has also condemned the firing by personnel of Haryana Police. State BJP vice president Dhruba Baishya termed the Haryana police’s action was ‘uncalled for’ and  ‘highly condemnable’.

An inquiry was also started at the Police Guest House, Bongaigaon with the IGP (BTAD) R. M Singh, IGP S. L Baishistha from Haryana and Jeevan Koch  (S.P. SRP) to look thoroughly into the whole matter.

Five Haryana police personnel were being interrogated by Assam police following the incident.   Mr Pathak informed that the Haryana police team claimed that they fired in retaliation after somebody from the mob fired at them first.

All Bodo Student  Union (ABSU) submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India, Union Railway Minister Lalu Parasad Yadav  and assam Chief Minister  Tarun Gogoi demanding immediate dismissal of the culprit I.R.B jawans from service, compensation of Rs 10 lakhs each to the families of the victims and adequate compensation for the girls whose dignity were infringed by IRB personnel.

Meanwhile the 12-hour Assam bandh called by  BPPF was by an large peaceful except few stray incident of stone pelting and road blockade by about 200 bandh supporters in Bongaigaon and Chirang districts. The oicketers attacked the vehicles plying on National Highway 31 with stones and sticks and damaged a few trucks, an ambulance and some vehicles iof National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). In connection with the incident of six IRB jawans were arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has ordered judicial enquiry to look in to the incident.

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