Dima Hasao CSOs Write to Amit Shah Demanding Justice in Santosh Hojai Murder

Haflong, May 5, 2020:

Civil Society Organizations from Dima Hasao in Assam, writing to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the kidnapping of one Santosh Hojai, has demanded him to institute further inquiries into the matter and arrange forensic testing to ascertain the cause of death.

Writing to Shah, the Dima Hasao CSOs have complained that the Police officers at the Harangjao Police station, where Hojai's wife went to file the complaint, refused to accept her FIR "by stating her husband will return by night." Her complaint was accepted by the same officers only after she approached the High Court. In view of this, the CSOs have demanded the suspension of the Officer-in-Charge and compensation to the victim to the tune of Rs 1 crore.

The conglomerate of bodies has firstly demanded a forensic laboratory test to determine the cause of death. Raising suspicion into the cause of death, the CSOs said, "in the Maibang Petrol pump cctv footage on 25th April that the police personnel had bought a fuel seperately in Jerkins instead of vehicle's oil tank and body of the victim witnessing burn signs that also brought suspicion of the involvement of police personnel ".

Secondly, the body has urged Shah to form a high-level committee "for detailed" inquiry into the incident.

Thirdly, they have urged Shah to institute a CBI inquiry an also "emphatically provide an adequate compensation to the family of the victim."

It is pertinent to mention that raising a hue-and-cry earlier today, Dima Hasao civil organisations organised a protest in front of the DC office in Haflong. Dozens gathered and held up signboards of disdain with messages such as people shown playcards like "We Want Justice", "We Want Peace", "Arrest the Culprit Immediately", "Enforce CBI/NIA Immediately".

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Pramith Sengyung, the president of the Dimasa Students' Union (DSU) said that they condemned the kidnapping and murder Santhosh Hojai. He said that the CBI or national agency should inquire into the matter and demanded an "immediate result". He also questioned how 5 abductors can move around in a Bolero despite the clamping of the "lockdown".

Meanwhile, after hearing a petition filed by Jayanta Hojai, the wife of deceased Santosh Hojai of Harangajao in Assam, a Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice Ajay Lamba and Justice Soumitra Saikia has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to further probe the matter.

By an order dated 4 April, 2020, the Bench has directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Government to conduct an investigation into the matter. The SIT is to be headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police Dilip Kumar Dey.

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The investigation which will be carried out by SIT will be monitored by Gauhati High Court at every stage likewise the involvement of Scientists from Forensic Science Laboratory and including inspection of the place where the dead body was recovered.

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