By Nurul Islam Laskar, MM News,
GUWAHATI, MAY 17: Hundreds bid tearful adieu to Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Assam’s Sonitpur District, Gulzar Hussain, at his hometown on January 28, 2014. If the 21 gun salute brought more tears to the family, friends, and relatives of the 37 year old dynamic Police Officer, the State Police promised not to let go his sacrifice waste. But that’s all. Even three months after his supreme sacrifice, not one culprit has been brought to book; forget meting out justice in the case. For most stakeholders in the State’s law and order, Gulzar Hussain already appears to be a forgotten name.
Fortunately for us, all are not as ungrateful. In acknowledgement of the valiant efforts put in by Gulzar Hussain who was assassinated in an ambush while answering the call of duty, the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd paid a humble homage to the slain Assam Police Officer by extending financial support to his minor children Mehzabin, aged 4 years and Junaid, aged only 4 months, on May 15, 2014.
Based on the request for financial support made by Roushanara Begum, wife of late Gulzar Hussain, Subansiri Lower HE Project took up the matter with their Corporate Office at Faridabad. The issue was deliberated by the Board in the 371st Board Meeting of NHPC held on March 20, 2014 and approval was accorded for a sum of Rs 5.00 lakh each to the two minor children of late Hussain.
Subansiri Lower HE Project implemented the NHPC Board’s approval through fixed deposits at SBI, Gerukamukh made on May 8, 2014 wherein the financial package of Rs 5.00 lakh each shall mature on May 8, 2024 to the tune of Rs 11,59,452 in respect of Junaid and on May 8, 2028 to the tune of Rs 15,15,583 in respect of Mehzabin respectively. The fixed deposit receipts were handed over to Roushanara Begum by the representatives of Subansiri Lower HE Project in the presence of Sanjukta Parashar, SP Sonitpur District on May 15, 2014 at Tezpur. A laudable and praiseworthy gesture indeed.
The National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) Songbijit faction militants had ambushed the police patrol led by Gulzar Hussain at Thalola centre-Laodangi of Batasipur area under Dhekiajuli Police Station on January 28 morning. Curfew was imposed in Dhekiajuli area from 6.00 pm to 6.00 am following massive protests against the NDFB-S and killing of the ASP.
“It was around 8.00 am when three militants hiding near a school fired at the team killing two persons, including ASP Hussain”, Police said. The ASP sitting on the front seat of his vehicle was hit by bullets on his head and leg. He was rushed to Army’s 151 Base Hospital at Tezpur where the doctors declared him brought dead.
The place of ambush, over 200 km from the State capital, was about 60 km from District Headquarters Tezpur and 20 km from Dhekiajuli Police Station near the Arunachal Pradesh border.
It was tearful tale as Hussain, who was believed to be one of the most honest and dedicated officers, had left behind a three year old daughter and a 15 day old son and his wife besides the aging parents when outlawed members of NDFB (S) launched an attack on his team while coming back from an operation at Dhekiajuli.
Along with Hussain, another Police informer was also killed and five Policemen sustained injuries when their vehicles were attacked by militant bullets.
Gulzar who joined the State Police Department in 2003 after a brilliant academic career with Masters Degree in Zoology from Dibrugarh University hailed from a very humble background. “He was a very brilliant student throughout his student days. We were absolutely proud of him for what he has done. He was also very much eager to serve the Police Department with passion but it was cut short unfortunately,” said Kabindra Hazarika, one of the teachers from his school with tearful eyes.
Earlier, about one and a half years’ ago, the gunning down of a prominent tea planter by suspected anti-talks NDFB militants in north Assam had also sent shock waves across the Rs 6,000-crore tea industry that continues to be the backbone of the State’s economy.
The 21st planter to have been killed by militant groups in Assam, Adilur Rahman, was also a Director of Hotel Dynasty, Guwahati’s first four-star hotel. His two estates together produced about 10 lakh kg of tea per annum.
Rahman was shot around 12.30 pm as he was going from the Tejalpatti Tea Estate to the Mahaluxmi Estate. Both estates are located close to the Assam-Arunachal border and belong to Mohijuli Tea Company, of which he was the proprietor. The area happened to be a stronghold of the anti-talks faction of the NDFB.
Dhiraj Kakati, Secretary of the Assam Branch Indian Tea Association, had immediately attacked the Government for failure to contain militant groups. “They (the rebels) chose a soft target and intend to terrorise the tea industry that had started to look up after a series of adversities,” Kakati had said.
But even Rahman’s killing looks like a forgotten affair today. While Rahman’s aged mother, Rumena Rahman, finds no solace after submitting innumerable memorandum and petitions to all and sundry – from the President to the PM, and from the Governor to the CM, the different tea industry bodies or chambers of commerce in the State do not find time to follow up the case. So, the militants continue killing and kidnapping with impunity.