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Army put on alert in Baksa as tension rises

By Staff Reporter/Correspondent

GUWAHATI/JALAH, July 13 � The army has been kept on standby in Baksa as tension mounted following the recovery of the bodies of three abducted persons of Barpeta (bordering Baksa) near Hakuanala forest area close to Manas river even as police resorted to blank firing in two places in Baksa district to disperse irate villagers.

While the security personnel resorted to blank firing to disperse a crowd protesting the incident in violation of curfew imposed in the Anand Bazar area, the second incident of police blank firing took place after an irate mob attacked the inspector in-charge of Sukrungbari police station. The irate people later blockade the Ananda Bazar-Gobardhana road for over two hours demanding action against the police personnel.

Home Commissioner GD Triphati told The Assam Tribune that the army has been kept on standby and adequate measures have been taken to restore peace. Further, an ex gratia of Rs 8 lakh has been announced by the State Government for the next of kin of the deceased persons, he said. Baksa Deputy Commissioner Vinod Seshan said that indefinite curfew continues to be in force in Salbari subdivision and Anand Bazar area in Baksa.

The bodies of the three lemon traders � Rabul Amin, Saddam Hussain and Atwar Ali, who went missing since Friday last from Samtaibari area under Gobardhana police station in Baksa, were recovered this morning after a massive search operation involving army, CRPF and police personnel. The body of another abducted trader Abu Bakar Siddique was recovered yesterday at Kamargaon area in Barpeta district.

The bodies, with some apparent cut marks, have been sent for autopsy in Barpeta Medical College and Hospital. No bullet injuries have been spotted so far in any of the four bodies recovered. Suspected NDFB(S) militants had abducted four persons, including two teenagers, from Bagariguri in adjacent Barpeta district.

Meanwhile, family members of the victims have refused to perform the last rites demanding Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi�s personal visit to the area to redress their security issues, even as operation against NDFB(S) has been intensified across the BTAD by the security forces.

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