Will kill 20 of you if you kill one of us: NDFB

The anti-talks faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland, a Bodo tribe separatist group led by its 'chairman' Ranjan Daimary on Thursday warned that it would kill 20 persons in case the security forces kill one Bodo youth in 'fake encounters'.

In a statement issued to the media through e-mail, the NDFB strongly condemned the killing of one Simul Boro in the name operation against the NDFB by security forces on Wednesday in Boko, under Kamrup District.

"Simul Boro was not an NDFB member," the statement said.

"In the name of insurgency many innocent Boro youths have been targeted and victimised by Assam police and security forces. Bodo people have been exploited, dominated, suppressed, oppressed and discriminated till today. Simul was targetted and shot dead because he was from the Bodo community," it stated. 

"The government should not test our patience. The authorities should not repeat the blunder. 'One: twenty' is our standing resolution. We warn the government to exercise utmost restraint from fake encounter or killing any innocent Bodo youths in the name of insurgency," it stated.

"If our calls are not responded with honor the government will be responsible for any untoward incident in the future. We also call upon the Bodo people and civil society to remain watchful about ulterior motives of the government on Bodos," the statement added.

The NDFB had declared unilateral truce a few months back expressing its desire to sit for talks with the Government of India and demanded release of its chairman Ranjan Daimary from jail to facilitate talks. Bodo civil society organisations have also demanded that government should start talks with the faction of the NDFB to restore lasting peace in Bodo tribe dominated areas in the state.

However, the government which is now talking with the other faction of the outfit called NDFB Progressive has not responded to the truce.