GUWAHATI, May 3 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today announced that the State government would ask the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the latest spurt in violence in the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD) areas.
According to an official press release, the Chief Minister said that the State government will ask the NIA to probe the violent incidents in BTAD areas so that the forces behind the heinous crimes are brought to book. �Those involved in the heinous and dastardly crimes would not be spared. The NIA investigation will help unearth the truth behind the gory incidents,� he asserted.
The Chief Minister said he had a telephonic talk with the Prime Minister this morning and he had briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the prevailing law-and-order situation in the BTAD areas and the measures being taken to restore normalcy in the violence-hit areas. Gogoi said that the Prime Minister expressed concern over the incidents and assured him of all possible help and support to restore peace and normalcy.
Gogoi said the Central government is rushing in another 10 companies of CRPF in addition to the 10 companies already despatched to the violence-hit areas. The Chief Minister, who convened a Cabinet meeting to discuss the situation, said that the State government has requested the Central government to deploy a special force of the CRPF Cobra Force to contain the violence in the BTAD areas effectively.
The Chief Minister said steps are being taken to intensify patrolling with the help of the Army and paramilitary forces, to set up more outposts and pickets and to form peace committees comprising people of all communities to bring back peace in the trouble-torn areas.
Gogoi further said that the Chief Secretary had a video-conference with the Cabinet Secretary today to apprise him of the incidents that took place in the past two days. The Chief Minister said that a Group of Ministers constituted earlier, would meet tomorrow to discuss the situation in BTAD areas and to take effective steps to bring back normalcy. �Several ministers have gone there to take stock of the situation and to instil confidence among the people,� he said.
In an appeal to the media houses, especially the electronic media, the Chief Minister said, �I appeal to the electronic media not to depict incidents of violence with chilling regularity as they may aggravate the situation further. It is time to exercise restraint in the greater interests of maintaining peace, amity and unity among all sections of society,� he added.
The Chief Minister said he was saddened with the way violence has hit BTAD areas after a relative lull. Gogoi, while terming the incidents of violence especially against children and women as �saddest moments of his life�, said he owes moral responsibility for the loss of lives of innocent people.
