Sonowal visits Kokrajhar, appeals for 75 CAPF battallions

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday reviewed the situation in Kokrajhar district and urged the Centre to deploy 75 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), which were withdrawn from the state after the April assembly elections.

Sonowal's review of the law and order situation in Kokrajhar came after militants of the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit faction) killed 14 civilians and injured 20 others on Friday. The Army killed one of the attackers the same day.

The Chief Minister, who visited Kokrajhar on Sunday, also chaired a strategy group meeting of the Unified Command at the Kokrajhar Circuit House and directed the police, the Army, the Central Reserve Police Force and other para-military forces to sternly deal with the situation after the terror attack

"Vigil should be stepped up to foil the sinister designs of anti-national forces," Sonowal said and appealed to the people to remain alert to nip in the bud the nefarious designs of these forces and to maintain peace and harmony at any cost.

Sonowal said the direct involvement of the NDFB faction in the terror attack had been unearthed after security forces received vital information.

The Chief Minister also directed civil and police administration to be on high alert in the run-up to Independence Day on August 15 and to beef up security to thwart sinister designs of anti-national forces. 

He directed deputy commissioners and Superintendents of Police to hold security review meetings and nagrik samiti meetings and to take all precautionary and preventive measures to avoid any untoward incident.

The Chief Minister also met the family members of those killed in the NDFB action and conveyed his heartfelt condolences.

Meanwhile, the situation is under control now in Kokrajhar as security forces intensified operation against the NDFB(S). Three additional companies have been deployed in Kokrajhar to stop recurrence of violence.