New Delhi, Sept. 6: Facing criticism over the death of an Ulfa leader in judicial custody, the Assam government had another member shifted to the high-security Tihar jail today for eye treatment, a day after he was brought to the capital from Guwahati.
Ramu Mech, in his mid-forties, has been suffering from partial damage of the retina in his left eye. His right eye is also getting affected. The ailment surfaced about seven years ago but it deteriorated for lack of treatment.
The decision to provide treatment to the Ulfa activist in New Delhi came close on the heels of the death of another Ulfa activist, Robin Handique, at the Tezpur civil hospital while in judicial custody. He was apprehended along with Mech and other senior leaders during the operation launched by the Royal Bhutan Army in December 2003 to rid its territory of insurgents.
The outfit has called a bandh on Thursday alleging that Handique was ?slow poisoned? to death. The bandh call was met with severe criticism ? both from the government and the families of Ulfa members under the banner of Assam Public Works Pariyal Committee.
Sources said Mech?s treatment has already begun and that he may be brought to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences tomorrow for a check-up.
?The status will be known tomorrow evening. He may have to stay here longer,? the source said.
Accompanied by two Assam police personnel, Mech was kept in the dormitory of Assam House located in the diplomatic enclave of Chanakyapuri before being shifted. His security has now been handed over to Delhi Police who will be responsible for his movement between the jail and hospital.
The Ulfa has sought the release of 10 leaders, including Mech and Handique, before it decided on the Centre?s offer for talks.
Gearing up to face yet another bandh ? the last was on September 1, which was called by the RSS ? the state government today announced full security for private vehicles plying on the day of the bandh.
Announcing this at Sivasagar, Assam transport minister Anjan Dutta said the government would compensate the owner if his vehicle was damaged during the bandh.
Dutta was speaking at a public meeting organised to denounce the bandh culture which has crippled the state in the past few years. The rally was organised by the Sivasagar District Private Vehicles Owners? Association.
A protest meeting at Sivasagar against Ulfa?s bandh call assumes significance as the Ulfa was born in the historical Rangghar in the same district.
The minister said the state has lost over Rs 11,000 crore as revenue in the past few decades because of bandhs.
?Handique was no saint but a militant. The Ulfa may hold the government responsible for his death but a bandh affecting lakhs of people in the state is not justified,? the committee?s director, Abhijit Sarma, said in a statement here.
