Latest news with #Bodos
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
2012 Assam communal unrest: 5 get life term for killing Bodo youth
GUWAHATI: A special court in western Assam's Bongaigaon sentenced Tuesday five men to life in prison for their role in the mob killing of a youth from the Bodo community in Chirang district during the 2012 ethnic violence in the state's Bodoland Territorial Area Districts. Joyanuddin Seikh, Abdul Khalek, Nabi Hussain, Habizur Ali, and Osman Ali were found guilty after a years-long CBI probe and trial. The court ruled prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt through evidence and witness accounts. The killing took place on July 22, 2012, when four Bodo men from Hasraubari came under attack from a mob of 40 to 50 armed with daggers, swords, bamboo sticks, and iron rods on a village road. They had earlier moved their families to Gargaon amid escalating communal unrest. The quartet had returned that day to guard their homes. The wounded men were shifted to Bongaigaon civil hospital, where Ratneswar Basumatary died. The killing was part of a wider wave of clashes in 2012 between Bodos and Bangladesh-origin immigrants. The unrest left more than 100 dead, displaced nearly 500,000 people from both communities, and destroyed homes in over 240 villages.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
CBI court convicts 5 for murder in 2012 Bijni riot, awards them lifer
Guwahati: After years of CBI investigation and trial, the special court in Bongaigaon on Tuesday convicted and sentenced five Muslim individuals to life imprisonment for their role in a mob attack in Bijni in Assam's Chirang district in 2012, which claimed the life of a youth from the Bodo community. The court found the five Muslim individuals — Joyanuddin Seikh, Abdul Khalek, Nabi Hussain, Habizur Ali, and Osman Ali — guilty in connection with the crime. After a thorough examination of evidence and witness testimonies, the court held that the prosecution had successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. In its sentencing order, the court directed that each of the convicts shall undergo rigorous imprisonment for three years under sections 148/324/149 IPC. They are also sentenced for life along with a fine of ₹15,000 each under sections 302/149 IPC. The court ordered that all sentences shall run concurrently, and the period of detention already undergone by the accused will be set off in accordance with law. The incident occurred on July 22, when four Bodo men from Hasraubari village, Ratneswar Basumatary, Tarani Basumatary, Bhagwan Basumatary, Subilal Basumatary were attacked with daggers, daos, lathis, iron rods near the village road by a mob of about 40 to 50 people. The victims were rushed to Bhetagaon Hospital, and later referred to Bongaigaon Civil Hospital. One of the victims, Ratneswar, succumbed to his injuries. The four Bodo individuals and others who had earlier shifted their families to Gargaon due to rising communal unrest had returned without their families to guard their homes on that day when they were ambushed by the mob. The Bijni incident was part of a larger wave of ethnic violence between Bodos and Bangladesh-origin immigrant Muslims that engulfed the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) in July of 2012. The clashes were among the worst communal disturbances in the state's history resulting in over 100 deaths, displacement of nearly 500,000 people from both communities and destruction of homes in over 240 villages. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Regional rivals urged to unite ahead of Bodoland polls in Assam
The bid of the Bharatiya Janata Party to be the dominant political entity in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) may bring two rival regional parties together ahead of the elections to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), expected to be held in September. The BTC governs the BTR comprising five districts across western and north-central Assam. The Bodos are the largest ethnic group in the BTR. Leaders of the influential All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) and other Bodo organisations have urged the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) and the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) to contest the upcoming polls together. The UPPL is the current ally of the BJP, and the BPF is a former ally. The other organisations include the Bodo Sahitya Sabha and forums of former members of two disbanded extremist groups, Bodoland Liberation Tigers and National Democratic Front of Bodoland. ABSU president Dipen Boro said the organisations have proposed unification to UPPL president Pramod Boro and his BPF counterpart Hagrama Mohilary. Pramod Boro is the head of the BTC, which the UPPL rules in alliance with the BJP. 'We sent a letter on the unification issue to both the leaders on August 5. We expect a positive response by August 12,' he said, adding that the people of BTR want the rivalry between the two parties to end as they do not want the region to relapse into the kind of violence it witnessed earlier. Pramod Boro said his party would consider the proposal, but pointed out that a united political front cannot be one-sided. 'We do not believe in the politics of division as unity in diversity is the essence of India, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasises through his 'sabka saath, sabka vikas' call,' he said. 'We have no problem in contesting the council polls together. We have given a written reply to the organisations. It is now the turn of the UPPL chief to do so,' Mr Mohilary said. 'Welcome proposa' Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the proposal for unity between the UPPL and BPF. However, the BJP is believed to have made the two BTR-specific parties jittery by indicating it would contest all 40 seats in the BTC after months of keeping its option of a pre-poll alliance with either the UPPL and the BPF open. The BJP is keen on controlling the BTC after years of wielding power in two other tribal councils formed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India – Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council. In the last BTC polls held in December 2020, the BPF emerged as the single-largest party with 17 seats, followed by the UPPL with 12, and the BJP with nine. Congress and the Gana Suraksha Party won one seat each. Defections from the BPF and Congress resulted in the UPPL and BJP gaining seats, increasing their counts to 15 and 14, respectively. Meanwhile, the BTC polls appear to have driven a wedge between the BJP and its other regional ally, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). Addressing an event of the Kokrajhar district BJP unit a few days ago, the Chief Minister said his party was neither against the UPPL nor the BPF. 'However, lotus will bloom in the BTC,' he said, while claiming the BJP was primarily instrumental in ensuring lasting peace in the BTR. He also had a word of advice for the AGP, which decided to go solo in the BTC polls. 'The AGP should contest if it thinks it can win seats in the BTC. The party should not fight to defeat the BJP,' he said. Phani Bhushan Choudhury, the AGP's Lok Sabha member, was quick to clarify that his party's decision to contest the BTC independently was the outcome of an agreement among the alliance partners. 'Our decision is not aimed at undermining our allies,' he said.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Arms licences for people only after strict evaluation: Himanta
Guwahati: Amid criticism over the Assam govt's decision to issue arms licences to indigenous people, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said it would only be granted following thorough evaluation and verification processes. Speaking to reporters on the side-line of a campaign in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) region, Sarma emphasised the need to secure both land rights and arms licences for indigenous communities. He argued that in areas like South Salmara-Mankachar and Bagbar — where indigenous communities are surrounded by larger populations — access to arms is essential for their safety. The state cabinet's decision, announced on May 28, aims to provide a sense of security among residents of "vulnerable and remote" areas, which include districts like Dhubri, Morigaon, Barpeta, Nagaon, and South Salmara-Mankachar, as well as localities such as Rupahi, Dhing, and Jonia. These areas are predominantly inhabited by Bengali-speaking Muslims, leading to accusations from the opposition that the policy is intended to polarise communities and could threaten the state's peace. Addressing potential eviction drives in the BTC region, Sarma clarified that no such action would be taken until land ownership documents are issued to indigenous residents. He also expressed concern over demographic changes in the region, suggesting that the increasing influence of a particular community could undermine the political power of the Bodos and other indigenous groups. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Arms licences to indigenous people will only be given after proper evaluation: Himanta
Guwahati, Amid criticism over the Assam government's decision to provide arms licence to indigenous people, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said it will only be given after "proper evaluation". Arms licences to indigenous people will only be given after proper evaluation: Himanta Speaking to reporters, Sarma said land rights also needed to be ensured for the indigenous people, along with arms licences. "Guns are required. If you don't have a gun, how will you stay in South Salmara-Mankachar and Bagbar? If you go there, you will understand," he said on the sidelines of a programme in Baksa, when asked about the criticism over the "lenient" arms licence policy. "There are 20,000-25,000 people surrounding it, and 100 people are staying in a 'Satra' amid them. They will need something," he claimed. Sarma maintained that gun licences will be provided only after due evaluation and verification. "Guns are needed, land is needed, rights are needed. But everything has to be within the purview of the law, not outside it," he added. The state cabinet had on May 28 decided that the government would give arms licences to indigenous people living in "vulnerable and remote" areas for instilling a sense of security in them. Sarma had identified Dhubri, Morigaon, Barpeta, Nagaon and South Salmara-Mankachar districts, and localities like Rupahi, Dhing and Jonia as "vulnerable and remote". All these areas are largely dominated by Bengali-speaking Muslims. The opposition claims that the decision is aimed at polarising the people, and has the potential to jeopardise the state's hard-won peace. Asked about possible eviction drives in Bodoland Territorial Region , where Baksa is located, Sarma said there is no proposal at the moment as indigenous people of the area are yet to get their land ownership documents. "Eviction drives were started in the rest of the state only after land rights were settled under 'Mission Basundhara'. In BTR, first indigenous and rightful residents have to get the 'patta'. After that, we can go for eviction,' he said. Claiming that the situation was as "grave in BTR as in the rest of Assam", Sarma said, 'Every time I am here, I see that the vote of a certain community is increasing. And if it continues to happen, the Bodos and other people of BTR who have sacrificed for this land will not have the political power in their hands." Dismissing criticism against the eviction drives, he said, "Miya Muslims have gone to upper Assam, north Assam, to change the demography of the state. We will have to take legal steps against them, evict them as per the law. I am not bothered who says what about it." 'Miya' is originally a pejorative term used for Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, and the non-Bengali speaking people generally identify them as Bangladeshi immigrants. In recent years, activists from the community have started adopting this term as a gesture of defiance. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
