NIA files charge sheet against four alleged NDFB(S) leaders

NEW DELHI: After over six months of probe, NIA today filed a charge sheet against four people allegedly belonging to NDFB-S terror group for the killing of 36 people in Assam's Sonitpur area last year.

CBI named Sanju Bordoloi alias Sibigiri, alleged to be the Assistant Organizing Secretary of NDFB(S), Ajoy Basumatary alias B Buhum, Nitul Daimary alias D Naihab and Bishnu Narzary alias N Berama in the charge sheet, NIA said in a statement here.

In the charge sheet filed before a special court in Guwahati, NIA has asccused all the four under various sections of Indian Penal Code, Arms Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The case was registered after the attack on December 23 last year by NDFB (S) militants on villagers of Hatijuli and Shantipur villages inhabited by Adivashi and Santhal community in Sonitpur district.

During the course of investigation, NIA has been able to collect a "wide variety" of evidence ranging from oral testimonies to technical records and results from ballistic tests, the statement said.

NIA has opted to continue further investigation of the case since certain hardcore senior leaders of NDFB(S) are yet to be apprehended, it said.

After the attacks on Adivashis in Sonitpur and Kokrajhar districts of Assam, NIA's Guwahati branch had registered five cases in compliance with the orders of the Union Home Ministry. Out of these cases, charge sheets have been filed in three cases against 18 hardcore NDFB(S) militants.

According to NIA, Basumatary was heading the so-called 'third battalion' of National Democratic Front of Bodoland-S and "it was under his direction and leadership that recent killings took place in Sonitpur district on December 23, 2014, in which 36 persons including women and children were killed.