Gogoi: Time for a visit

Nagaon, Aug. 10: Bowing to public pressure, chief minister Tarun Gogoi finally decided to visit a settlement of Hindi-speaking people at Aampahar in Karbi Anglong district, three days after eight persons were gunned down there by militants.

The Karbi Anglong Hindi Bhasi Chatra Santha had imposed an indefinite National Highway 36 blockade from 10am today, demanding that the chief minister visit the locality.

The union later cancelled the agitation after an assurance from the government that Gogoi would indeed visit them tomorrow.

Hill areas development minister Khorsingh Ingti visited the trouble-torn Bokoliaghat area yesterday. He conveyed the news of Gogoi’s impending visit later in the evening. Gogoi will tour the area along with a high-level team.

Suspected militants of the Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front and Ulfa carried out a joint operation and gunned down eight Hindi-speaking persons on Wednesday night.

“The chief minister will make ex gratia payments to the next of kin of the victims,” promised Karbi Anglong deputy commissioner M. Angamuthu.

The DC yesterday visited the carnage site and provided an ex gratia payment of Rs 10,000 each to the families of the slain villagers.

On the eve of the chief minister’s visit, the district administration today convened a peace meeting at Janata Hindi High School, in which hundreds of local villagers took part.

Karbi Anglong additional superintendent of police (headquarters) Nityananda Goswami presided over the meeting.

“We are sure that the chief minister will give us justice. That is why we have been insisting that he visit Bokoliaghat. We will appeal to him to ensure safety and security of all the people living in this trouble-torn district,” said a local villager of Aampahar.