By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: Hundreds bid tearful adieu to Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Assam’s Sonitpur district Gulzar Hussain on Wednesday at his hometown. If the 21 gun salute brought more tears to the family, friends and relatives of the 37 year old dynamic police office, the state police promised not to let go his sacrifice waste.
The NDFB (S) militants had ambushed the police patrol led by Gulzar Hussain at Thalola centre-Laodangi of Batasipur area under Dhekiajuli police station on Tuesday morning. Curfew had been imposed in Dhekiajuli area from 6 pm to 6 am following massive protests against the NDFB-S and killing of the ASP.
Locals throng in front of Dhekiajuli police station after the killing of ASP of Sonitpur Gulzar Hussain.
“It was around 8 am when three militants hiding near a school fired at the team killing two persons, including ASP Hussain”, Police said.
The ASP sitting in the front seat of his vehicle was hit by bullets on his head and leg. He was rushed to Army’s 151 base hospital at Tezpur where the doctors declared him brought dead.
The place of ambush, over 200 km from the state capital, is about 60 km from district headquarters Tezpur and 20 km from Dhekiajuli police station near the Arunachal Pradesh border.
The five injured policemen admitted to Kanaklata Civil Hospital in Tezpur were identified as Umakanta Bailong (38), Rubul Borah (26), Dhiraj Bharali (38), Janak Basumatary and Pinku Borah (25).
Meanwhile, it was tearful tale as Hussain who was believed to be one of the honest and dedicated officer had left behind a 15 day old son and his wife besides the aging parents when outlawed members of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit Faction) launched an attack on his team while coming back from an operation at Dhekiajuli in the morning hours of Tuesday.
Along with Hussain, another police informer was also killed and five police sustained injuries when their vehicles were attacked by militant bullets.
“Though I hoped that my Janaza (prayer of last rites) would be performed by my son but Allah had something else planned for me. I feel proud to do the same for my son. I also take pride that he has died for the cause of the people,” said Samsuddin Hafiz, father of the slain officer, after performing the Janaza on Wednesday as hundred others barring all religion and caste joined to pay their last respect at Bihpuria in Lakhimpur district.
Gulzar who joined the state police department in 2003 after a brilliant academic career with masters degree in Zoology from Dibrugarh University hailed from a very humble background. “He was a very brilliant student throughout his student days. We were absolutely proud of him for what he has done. He was also very much eager to serve the police department with passion but it was cut short unfortunately,” said Kabindra Hazarika, one of his teachers from school with tearful eyes.
The scene at his home, however, was inconsolable with his wife Rousan Ara Begum lost her consciousness, finding it extremely difficult to deal with the reality. One would get more emotion seeing the couple 15 day old baby besides their three year old girl who were just not aware of the fact that their beloved father was not anymore in the world.
“It is extremely difficult to make his wife understand as she wept along his body throughout the night. Gulzar who recently came to his home could not see his baby anymore. I hope that such a situation do not reoccur in anybody’s life. It’s a tragedy that will linger in our heart for a longer period of time,” a relative said.
The locals and well wishers carry the body of ASP of Sonitpur Gulzar Hussain for the last rites at his hometown on Wednesday.
This attack on the police has also witness state wide protest from various organizations and political parties. The locals also thronged the Dhekiajuli police station to express their displeasure and seeking punishment for the culprits. “This is the supreme failure of the state government and the home department. It’s an unfortunate incident for the people of the state to witness the death of a dynamic police office like this at an young age. We condemn the incident and demand that the strict action against the culprits,” said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national vice president and Guwahati MP Bijoya Chakraborty.
His colleagues and other officials of the state police department have vowed to pay respect to the department with stricter action. “We are hurt losing a dynamic office in Hussain but we will not let go his supreme sacrifice in waste. We have already started our mission in a stricter way,” said Sonitpur Superintendent of Police Sanjukta Parashar after paying her last tribute.
However, many seems to be unhappy at the comment of the state chief minister Tarun Gogoi who had said that he had to be dead because Hussain did not use protection head gear and bullet proof jacket.