Another Gogoi promise unfulfilled

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, June 9: With the State government cracking down on agitating Special Police Officers (SPOs) demanding regularisation of jobs, the situation is likely to turn ugly in the coming days. After the All Assam Special Police Officers Welfare Association decided to call off their planned hunger strike from Tuesday, some SPOs and their families arriving at the Guwahati railway station today morning were detained by Panbazar police. Demanding induction into the Third Assam Industrial Security Force (AISF) as promised by the Tarun Gogoi government earlier, the SPOs and their family members raised slogans and sat on dhar at Panbazar police station. No representatives from the government met them to listen to their demands, the SPOs with their families were released in the evening. On Monday, the general secretary and some members of the SPO Welfare association were detained and let off on Tuesday, clearly showing Dispur's determition to break up the agitation at all costs. Earlier, the planned protest march by SPOs from Haflong to Guwahati had been prevented and the SPOs disarmed.

The state government raised the SPOs in 2008 to guard government officials and vital installations after Karbi militants triggered large-scale violence in the area. Many surrendered ultras were also inducted in the squad under rehabilitation schemes. The SPOs were later posted in Chirang, gaon, Kamrup, Barpeta, lbari and Morigaon districts too.