Arrested Bodo militant handed over to Assam Police

Arrested NDFB militant Birkhang Basumatary, who is said to have been involved in the December violence in Assam, has been handed over to Assam Police, a top official on Sunday said.

"We have handed over the Bodo militant late last night to Assam Police. We had arrested him from a city lodge on January 23 night. He had checked into a lodge situated in Majestic area," Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Labhu Ram told PTI.

Basumatary, alias Bhutur, a native of Chirang in Assam belonged to National Democratic Front of Boroland (Songbijit), he said.

According to Assam IGP LR Bishnoi, Bhutur was directly involved in the killing of eight Adivasis at Lungsung on December 23 and six Hindi-speaking persons at Serfanguri in Kokrajhar district on January 16 last year. Bishnoi had said that the arrest of Bhutur was a "big catch", which was made on a tip-off by Assam Police.

The NDFB(S) had launched an attack on Adivasis in Sonitpur and Kokrajhar districts on December 23 last following which there was retaliatory violence and police firing resulting in the killing of 81 people.

Earlier on January 16 last year, six Hindi-speaking persons were shot dead after armed insurgents pulled down around 12 passengers from a bus and opened fire on them at Athiabari under Serfanguri police station. 

Related read: Indian army confirms arrest of 11 NDFB militants in Assam