Home Minister Rajnath Singh promises NIA probe into NDFB killings

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday assured Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi of an NIA investigation into the killing of 65 villagers by NDFB(S) militants in three districts of the state. Singh gave the assurance to Gogoi following a request by the latter, sources in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

The Union Home Minister, who arrived in Guwahati on Wednesday evening accompanied by his deputy Kiren Rijiju and Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, and held a high level meeting with the Chief Minister, and senior civil, police, army and para-military officials.

The Chief Minister also asked the Centre to provide 55 companies of additional forces and urged Singh not to withdraw the companies soon after. Singh assured Gogoi that additional companies would be provided to the state to deal with the situation and prevent further outbreak of violence.

Singh said the attack was an "act of terror and there will be no compromise on this with the Centre committed to deal with the situation firmly," the sources added. Singh, Rijiju and Oram are scheduled to visit the five violence affected areas tomorrow to take stock of the situation.

Meanwhile, a state BJP delegation led by president Siddhartha Bhattacharya called on Singh and submitted a memorandum demanding imposition of President's Rule in the state following the alleged failure of the state government to protect the lives and property of the common people.

Sources said the Home Minister also directed officials at the Unified Command meeting that all-round operations should be undertaken and the militants should be taken head on. They said the Home Ministry was of the view that the NDFB militants should not be spared and it must be hit hard as the outlawed group has a very small cadre base of only about 100 ultras.