Cops turned a blind eye to tell-tale signs of tension

Kokrajhar : Formation of a non-Bodo organisation and the police’s failure to anticipate the consequences of some “minor incidents” in May fuelled the ethnic tension between Bodos and Muslims that spread across the Bodo Territorial Autonomous Districts, feels a section of the police and a large number of residents of Kokrajhar.

In an incident, which was initially thought to be a “minor one”, the signboard of an Idgah at Bedlangmari in Kolkajhar was allegedly removed by some “unknown persons”. An FIR was lodged by one Mohammed Rafique Islam at Kokrajhar police station on May 26. The Bodos were under suspicion in connection with the incident. “The police ignored the complaint compelling Muslims to call a bandh in Kokrajhar on May 29. The incident had hurt the religious sentiment of Muslims who had been offering prayers at the Idgah for the last 17 years. When we demanded action against those involved, we were told to shift the Idgah. We called a bandh. The Bodoland Territorial Council tried to foil the bandh. Shops were opened forcefully,” said Moniuddin, local leader of All Assam Minority Students Union.

BTC executive body member and leader of Bodo People’s Front Derhasar Basumatari said the Idgah was located on government land which was against a Supreme Court verdict.

According to FIR lodged at Kokrajhar police station, two incidents of attacks on police party took place at Boruapara and Narabari on May 29. In both the cases, FIRs were lodged by two police officers. But no one was arrested as the police thought that action might trigger violence and hurt religious sentiment.

“Since the police did not take action against those who hurt the sentiment of Muslims, protest brewed and spread to other places. That was the beginning. At Bedlangmari, a man was fired at on June 10. In that case too the police did not take action. The minority community was losing faith in police,” Moniuddin said.