The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the inquiry into the killing of five men by suspected Ulfa (Independent) militants at Dhola in Tinsukia district of Assam on November 1.
An official source on Thursday said the NIA registered a case (RC-09/2018) at its Guwahati branch after the Union home ministry issued a notification handing over the case to the agency. The NIA special court in Guwahati has passed orders for transfer of case from Tinsukia court and case dockets to the NIA.
Inspector-general of NIA Alok Mittal told The Telegraph that an NIA team, accompanied by officials of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, reached Sadiya on Thursday and visited the murder spot. The team is led by deputy inspector-general Dipak Kumar. “Witnesses were examined and the scene was surveyed. Biological remains were detected and samples were collected. Search of the area was carried out with a metal detector and eight empty cases and one bullet head were recovered and seized,” Mittal said.
“NIA team is camping in the area and carrying out investigations into the leads which have been ascertained so far,” he said.
Sadiya superintendent of police Debojit Deori said, “The process to hand over the details and documents related to the probe to the NIA is under process.”
The recovery of fired bullet and empty cases has raised questions on the quality of investigation by Assam police.
In the FIR, registered on Tuesday, the NIA mentioned that a six-member group of Ulfa militants carried out the killings.
The case was registered under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging war against the nation), 121A (conspiring to commit certain offences against the state), 122 (collecting arms, etc, with intention of waging war against the government of India) and 302 (murder) of the IPC and Sections 25(1)(a) and 27 of the Arms Act, 1959, and Sections 10 and 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
After the five persons, including three of a family, were shot dead, Assam police had registered a case at Dhola police station but could not make any breakthrough. Police suspect Ulfa (I) cadres were involved though the outfit has denied its role in the killings.
