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| The sketches and pictures of the seven suspects that were released by the CID on Wednesday. Picture by UB Photos |
Guwahati, June 6: The CID today released sketches and pictures of seven Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) activists, including the outfit’s chief Jeevan Singha, for their alleged involvement in Gadapani Pathak murder case.
Unidentified men had waylaid Pathak, who was a superintending engineer of the state agriculture department and Faizur Islam, assistant executive engineer of the department on National Highway 37 near Boitamari Borkhata in Bongaigaon on May 2 while they were returning from an official tour.
The gunmen shot Pathak dead and abducted Islam, who was subsequently released on May 27.
Police registered a case under Sections 365, 302 and 34 IPC and Section 25 (1-A) and 27 of the Arms Act at Abhayapuri police station. The state government later handed over to the case to the CID for investigation.
The five KLO militants whose sketches were released today were identified as Jayanta, Dwijen, Hajong, Raja and Birbal Bahe. Another suspected KLO activist whose sketch was released today is yet to be identified.
These sketches were prepared by Calcutta-based artist Debasish Banerjee and based on descriptions given by Faizur Islam and Noor Islam Ahmed, who was the driver of the Bolero in which Pathak and Faizur Islam were travelling.
CID sources said from the investigation conducted so far it has emerged that KLO militants were involved in the incident.
“Our investigation has revealed that KLO militants had waylaid the vehicle in which Pathak and Islam were travelling to kidnap the duo for ransom,” a CID official said.
“When Pathak resisted the abductors he was first shot in the leg. Even after receiving the bullet injury, Pathak tried to flee from the spot and one of the abductors shot him in the head,” the source said.
The family of Faizur Islam had paid a “huge amount of money” to secure his safe release, he added.
According to the CID official, Faizur Islam was detained by KLO militants in one of their hideouts somewhere in Bongaigaon district close to its border with Kokrajhar.
“After Faizur Islam was shown the picture of KLO chief Jeevan Singha, he said Singha had also visited the hideout where he was held captive,” the source said.
Assam police have announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for anyone providing any information leading to the arrest of the culprits involved in this case.
According to the source, the role of Faizur and driver Noor in the entire episode is also not beyond suspicion because there were various inconsistencies in their versions about how the incident happened. Interestingly, Pathak was inquiring into allegations of corruption against Faizur.