Theft on the rise in Kokrajhar, people demand identity card for daily labourers

Kokrajhar April 21: Frequent cases of theft and robbery in Kokrajhar town have become a matter of concern. Two thieves were arrested on Tuesday in the town by residents. Besides, the recent arrest of two thieves from neighbouring Dhubri district has also proved the organized and strong network of thieves. Meanwhile, the conscious circle of people has been demanding identity card for labourers to detect the persons coming from outside. Recently, two thieves from Dhubri district were caught red-handed by the residents of Hadanpara in Kokrajhar ward no 8 and handed over to police after severely beating them.

Talking to reporters, the I/C of Kokrajhar police station, B. Basumatary said the gang of thieves first entered the house of Santeswar Basumatary and robbed gold ornaments worth more than Rs. 2 lakh and then entered the house of Amio Brahma nearby and robbed valuable things. He said the thieves were trying to steal valuable items in their third attempt in the house of Phulmoni Basumatary, whose house is also in the same place, but alert residents caught the thieves. However, one of them could manage to flee.

Basumatary said the thieves were identified as Nurjamal Ali (19) of Nayerali, Bilasipara and Nurjamal Ali (18) of Fakirganj, both from Dhubri district. Bikes also recovered from their possession. He said all three families were in Guwahati with family members for the Bihu vacation. He also said that investigation was going on to track their network and to crack down the gang of thieves who is suspected to be involved in similar incidents of theft in Kokrajhar.

Sources said the thieves had a rented room in Joypur near Kokrajhar town on the bank of the River Gaurang, which is also infamous as a safe haven for suspected nationals and from where the 2012 riot had started after the murder of three Bodo tribal youths. Conscious section of people of Kokrajhar have speculated that people coming from outside stay in the river bank in rented rooms as daily wage labourers. They come to Kokrajhar town and start working as labourers, rickshaw pullers and collectors of scrap materials and at the same time also gather information about government employees and when their family members are not present in the house.

The conscious people of Kokrajhar have been demanding issuing identity card to the labourers from the competent authority to thwart crimes.