Bodo leader killed

By Our Special Correspondent

GUWAHATI, AUG. 20. Binewsar Brahma, president of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha, was shot dead by Bodo extremists at his home on Saturday night. Police said four young men, who are suspected to be members of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, came to Brahma's home at around 8.30 p.m.

Brahma had an argument with the men and one of them fired nine bullets on him from a 9 mm automatic pistol. Brahma was killed instantly. Later, the police recovered the empty cartridges.

Brahma was involved in strengthening peace efforts and in unifying different Bodo groups. He was a graduate of the Assam Agricultural University and an officer of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) at Guwahati.

Brahma's killing was a setback for the peace process and might lead to ``retaliatory'' actions, Mr. Urkhao Gwra Brahma, president of the All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU), said.

The Bodo Sahitya Sabha has called a 12-hour Assam bandh on August 22 to condemn the killing.

Intelligence sources said the NDFB did not like Brahma's peace efforts. A fortnight ago, the PDF, one of the two major Bodo groups, had sent a unity proposal to its rival ABSU. The situation is confusing as PDF is believed to the political front of the NDFB.

Brhama's body is being taken to Kokrajhar where the funeral will take place tomorrow.

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