Shock of all shocks

GUWAHATI, February 24: In a most shocking incident unprecedented in the history of Assam, a supporter of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), Pranab Boro of the Gorchuk area of Guwahati, committed self–immolation outside the Assam Secretariat in protest against the State government’s land patta policy. He was part of a protest staged by the KMSS against the government’s land patta policy.

The KMSS’ protest was against the State government’s programme of land patta distribution to 500 families in the greater Guwahati area. The KMSS had demanded that all the landless people residing in forest lands, wetlands and hilly areas should be given land pattas.

The KMSS, under the leadership of Akhil Gogoi, had said that it would disrupt the State government’s progamme at any cost. After the KMSS’ warning, more than 2,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across Guwahati. The tightest security was in Koinadhara (the area of the Chief Minister’s residence), Khanapara and Panjabari. Yet the security became inadequate.

It was around 7.30 am on Monday that more than 100 KMSS supporters brought out a rally in Khanapara when the police resisted them and dispersed them off. One person tried to commit self–immolation but the police prevented him from doing so. But later on, around 10.15 am, Pranab Boro suddenly set himself on fire in protest against the government’s policy. He received 100 per cent burn. He was shifted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. He expired around 4.30 pm.

Many KMSS supporters were arrested for violation of law in different places like Khanapara and Panjabari.

After the tragedy of Pranab Boro, the KMSS called off its agitation. Akhil said that people were very emotional and were prepared to go in for self–immolation and so it was necessary to call off the agitation.

(Source)The Sentinel — The Largest Media group of North-East India — focused on news publishing. Combined circulation of the group is over 120,000 newspapers per day, making it the largest newspaper group in the region. The Sentinel is the only English daily in the Northeast India with five editions published simultaneously from Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Shillong, Silchar and Itanagar. For all local, national and international news please visit http://www.sentinelassam.com/