- >>
- Border
GUWAHATI: Following Assam government’s request, Centre has handed over the investigation of minority students’ leader Lafiqul Islam Ahmed murder case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after a month of no headway in the case.
Union Minister of State (i/c) for DoNER, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension etc Jitendra Singh informedAssam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal of this over the phone on Monday.
It may be noted that Lafiqul Islam Ahmed, president of All BTC Minority Students’ Union (ABMSU) was killed by unidentified men at Titaguri market in Kokrajhar district on August 1 this year.
Assam government had constituted a Special Investigative Team (SIT) headed by Inspector General of Police Anurag Tankha to inquire into the brutal murder and provided ex-gratia relief of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the slain ABMSU leader.
On this development ABMSU general secretary Shahkamal Khandakar said that though it’s slightly unfortunate that it took at least four weeks to take the case by the CBI, they are hopeful of justice.
“We have been demanding for a CBI inquiry. We are hopeful of getting the justice,” Khandakar said.
Earlier, various organizations and individuals had demanded a CBI investigation. More than 40 prominent individuals from civil society had also written to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal seeking a proper investigation.
Though some suspected the murder to be connected with cattle smuggling, many, including former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, termed it a political murder and demanded a CBI inquiry.
The murder of Ahmed has raised several questions as the leader was widely popular among all the communities. He played a crucial role in bringing peace and harmony among the Muslims and Bodo people after the 2012 conflict in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) in Assam where more than 4 lakh people were displaced.
He was also vocal against social evils like child marriage among the Muslims besides working for girls’ education in rural areas.
