Assamese killings will retard progress of region : Advani

New Delhi, May 16 (UNI) Expressing his anguish over terrorists gunning down 11 innocent people in two separate incidents in the North Cachar Hills of Assam, Leader of the Opposition L K Advani today said it highlighted the failure of the Congress in combating terror.

Reacting to the killings by suspected Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel) group, Mr Advani said repeated killings in the state showed that the government neither had the strategy nor the will to neutralise the terrorist groups operating in the state. In one incident five trucks were intercepted and their drivers, handymen and labourers taken to a lonely spot and shot dead.

In another incident, a goods train was fired at. This is mindless violence that would serve no purpose whatsoever. And what should be of concern to all is that these incidents might adversely impact the developmental works that are currently on in the Hill district, he noted.

Just a month ago there was a bomb blast at Howraghat where more than 40 people were injured. He also took exception to the local media referring to the criminals as militants. It is not an act of valour to gun down innocent citizens and they should be termed as terrorists, he exhorted the mediapersons.

The state administration should demonstrate their resolve to exterminate all such threats to civil society, he observed conveying his sympathies to the families of the victims.

He commended the sacrifice of locomative driver N N Bora for displaying presence of mind and saving several lives but losing his own life in the process.

UNI MCN KAS BDP KN1955