Assam forms SIT to probe ABMSU president's killing

The Assam government today set up a special investigation team to probe the killing of All BTC Minority Students' Union president Lafiqul Islam Ahmed.
The ABMSU has demanded a CBI inquiry and immediate removal of the Kokrajhar superintendent of police over the killing. The Congress has also called for a probe by the investigation agency.
Ahmed was gunned down by two motorcycle-borne assailants yesterday when he had gone to buy tiles at a shop at Titaguri market in Kokrajhar. The shop-keeper was seriously injured.
The SIT will be headed by DSP (headquarters) Prakash Medhi.
Director-General of Police Mukesh Sahay, who reached Kokrajhar last night, reviewed the situation along with BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary and senior officials of the district administration.

Additional security forces have been deployed in the district to prevent any untoward incident.

One person, identified as Imtiaz Ali, has been arrested in connection with the killing, he said.
Meanwhile, Ahmed's body was handed over to his family today.
His last rites were performed though ABMSU leaders had earlier said it would not let it happen till the culprits were nabbed.
Earlier in the day, ABMSU general secretary Shahkamal Khandakar had said, "We believe it was a political killing and there was a deep-rooted conspiracy behind it. That is why we demand a CBI inquiry into it."
The ABMSU also demanded the immediate removal of the Kokrajhar superintendent of police.

The killed has triggered widespread protests in the district and other areas of lower Assam.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had held a high-level meeting with the civil and police administration late last night and had asked the authorities to launch a search to nab the culprits within 24 hours.
Condemning the killing, Sonowal had called upon the people to maintain peace and harmony and stay away from rumour mongers.
The Congress, AIUDF, AGP, BPF, CPI(M), AASU, KMSS, DYFI, SFI and SMSS have condemned the killing and demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident.
Meanwhile, a 24-hour bandh called by the ABMSU was observed in Kokrajhar to protest the killing. Schools, colleges and shops were closed and few vehicles were visible during the bandh.

The Congress also demanded a CBI inquiry into the killing and accused the state government of failing to maintain law and order.
"The young student leader was killed at a market in broad daylight. He was an active social worker. There was threat to his life. Still adequate security was not provided to him," former chief minister Tarun Gogoi told a press conference here.
There has been an allegation that the killing was political and a police-cow smugglers nexus was involved in it, he said.
"It takes the chief minister just five minutes to order a CBI inquiry. If he does not, then we will understand that there are some other intentions," Gogoi said in the presence of three former ministers, Pradyut Bordoloi, Rajib Lochan Pegu and Basanta Das.

Gogoi also alleged that disturbances had cropped up in different parts of the state after the present government took over. Dacoity cases in Guwahati saw a spurt in Guwahati as recruitment drives were being conducted by ULFA(I) and jehadi elements.