By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Narayanguri (Baksa): It’s been two weeks since the carnage broke out in Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD) which witnessed more than 45 deaths of villagers and the situation is getting normal but the affected people too much worried to be normal. The people who have been living at Narayanguri camp under Gobardhan police station in Baska district are not sure if they will ever return to their native villages.
“We are not in a mental state to say anything. We do not know what is going to happen with us in the coming days,” Samsul Ali told TwoCircles.net at the camp when he was asked if he was ready to go back to his village.
The family of Rameej Ali in the camp.
Ali who hails from Khagrabari village has lost his 18 year old son Rameej Ali. He is almost inconsolable now. “We don’t know what to do. If we have to lose somebody like him again, we don’t want to face that thing. We have been living peacefully but suddenly everything is ruined. We have no courage now to go there,” he continued.
The family along with others of the villages under plastic roofed tents on the open field has been struggling with their day to day activities. But they have no complaint. “After losing your family members, these do not make any sense to us. We do not mind if the government pays us or not. But we want a sense of security to continue our lives normally,” said Ajmela Khatun, sister in law of the slain Ali.
The district administration has set up a relief camp here with tarpaulin tents on the eastern side of Beki river and around 500 people are staying there since May 2, when terrorists killed at least 39 people in Narayanguri, Khagrabari and Narsingbari villages in Baksa district.
Police suspected it to be a handiwork of the militants loyal to the Sangbijit faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), while the militant outfit has denied it. A few state cabinet ministers who have visited the places have, however, suspected the Bodoland People’s Party (BPF). Some have demanded the arrest of BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary and its senior leader Pramila Rani Brahma. Thus, the blame game dominated the scene for the last few days but the lives of the people at the villages remain the same surrounded by fear and uncertainty.
There are many like Ali who are yet to get rid of the shock which changed their lives forever. “Now security personnel are everywhere but once they are gone, we might have to face the same fate again. This is the fear for which we don’t want to return now. We urge the state government to set up police out posts in the interior areas with more number of security personnel in the area. This is more important than providing mere compensation,” said Rabiul Hussain another inmate in the camp.
Though Assam chief minister has sought for more security personnel for the area only time will tell the fate of these people. The Assam government has sought 50 companies of central forces for providing security in troubled Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) after results of Lok Sabha elections are declared.
“We have asked for 50 companies (100 personnel each) from the Home Ministry to maintain law and order in BTAD. Of them, 30 companies will be provided by the Centre. These central forces will eventually go back after the situation becomes normal. So, we have to develop a mechanism for providing security to the people of BTAD,” chief minister Gogoi said.