Ex-CM demands enquiry into FCI NE boss's killing

Guwahati, Jul 3 (UNI) The murder of Food Corporation of India(FCI) Executive Director P C Ram by ULFA militants continued to haunt the Congress-led Asom government with a former chief minister today demanding inquiry into the killing.

Former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta demanded an inquiry be instituted into the killing of Ram as the state machinery was claiming that he was safe and alive, even at a time when Ram was already dead as was evident from his decomposed body.

Ram was abducted on April 17 and his mutilated body was recovered in a remote village in Baska district of lower Asom, bordering Bhutan, on June 29 night. Though initial reports had suggested that he had died of malaria, subsequent reports stated that his throat was slit with a sharp weapon.

Ram's driver, who was also taken away by the captors, was later set free. The FCI officer's son was reported to have received a ransom call of Rs 21 crore from the abductors and big money was suspected to be behind the killing.

Mr Mahanta pointed out that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had himself assured of Ram's safety. Besides, his ministerial colleagues and other state officers had also claimed that the FCI executive director was safe and the security forces were closing in on the abductors.

The former chief minister said, ''When the chief minister's assurances turn out false, it speaks much on the functioning of the government.'' He accused the state government of being an 'irresponsible' one and without a leader. ''Statements are being issued by unauthorised persons, as was in the case of Ram's killing also,'' he added.

Highlighting that no representative of the state government was present at Ram's funeral or when his body was recovered, Mr Mahanta said, ''The government should have acted in a more responsible manner.'' He also referred to GoC 4 Corps R K Chabra's comments that the security forces had failed to rescue Ram alive even after coming to very close range of where the FCI NE boss was held captive.

Though the FCI has assured that its functioning would not be effected in the region due to the killing of Ram, the workers have expressed fear over continuing work in NE.

The employees had observed a day-long cease work in protest against the killing.

Meanwhile, the chief minister and chief secretary have been summoned to New Delhi and the murder of Ram was likely to figure in the discussions. As Mr Gogoi is on an overseas trip, his senior most Cabinet colleague Bhumidhar Barman is representing the chief minister.

UNI