Of the four killed after being thrown out of running train, one from Manipur
Body to be brought home today, security in place
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 20, 2012: Of the four people who were thrown out from moving a train and killed at Belakoba railway station located about a few kilometres away from Jalpaiguri, one has turned to be a native of Manipur.

The overcrowded train was heading for Guwahati from Bangalore and it was arranged specially in view of the exodus of North East people from the southern city.

The deceased victim who hailed from the State has been identified as Sarif Ahmad (21) s/o Alha Jeinul Abdin of Lilong Haoreibi Turel Ahanbi, Thoubal district.

It is reported that the corpse of Sarif Ahmad of Lilong who was among those killed after they were thrown out of a moving train would be brought to Guwahati airport tonight before it is brought to Imphal tomorrow morning by air.

On being contacted, DGP Y Joykumar said that necessary security arrangements have been taken up to avert any unwanted incident, especially when the body is brought back home tomorrow.

After it was confirmed that one of the deceased was Md Sarif Ahmad through Lilong police, a public meeting was held this afternoon at Lilong Haoreibi Turel Ahanbi.

As per a resolution of the meeting, a Joint Action Committee christened JAC Against Brutal Killing of Md Sarif Ahmad at NJP, West Bengal was constituted.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting at Manipur Press Club this evening, JAC convenor Zakir Hussain said that Md Sarif was a brilliant student who topped the BA (Geography) IIIrd year exam conducted by Manipur University this year.

For the MA course, Sarif was admitted to Cotton College, Guwahati and he joined class starting from August 16. During a telephonic conversation on August 17 with his family, Sarif said that he was staying in the college seeking a seat in the hostel.

Students from Manipur after their arrival at Guwahati check out the bus counters

But today the family was informed through Lilong Police that Sarif had been killed.

Zakir Hussain questioned how a student staying in Cotton College, Guwahati got killed at New Jalpaipuri in West Bengal.

Apart from the claim of Assam Government about controlling communal conflict in the State, the Government of Manipur had also sent its officials to Guwahati and other cities for protection of Manipuri people.

But all these measures have come to nought, he said.

The Government of Manipur, the Government of Assam and the Government of India should give a detailed report to the JAC about the killing of Sarif Ahmad by August 25, demanded its convenor.

In case the detailed reports are not given, the JAC would spearhead intense forms of agitation without claiming the corpse, he added.

PTI adds from Guwahati : With the recovery of two more bodies, the toll in violence on board the Guwahati-bound special train carrying North East people, has risen to four.

"While two bodies were recovered from a place between Belakoba and Raninagar stations, another two were found later at a place near Halakata, close to New Jalpaiguri station.

Both places are in West Bengal," official sources said today.

The Northeast Frontier Railway authorities are yet not sure of the cause of the fight inside the special train number three that led to the deaths, besides injury to nine others, four of them seriously.

It is also still not clear if the four were among those fleeing the Karnataka capital fearing a backlash after the Assam violence as the police and railway authorities here remained tight-lipped pending an investigation.

However, two bodies found at Belaboka yesterday were those of passengers hailing from Hialakandi in Assam.

The sources, however, said unidentified persons attacked passengers travelling in the special train and also snatched their luggages and belongings.

Special trains were being operated by Railways from Bangalore to ferry passengers fleeing the city over fears of attacks on them sparked by rumours in the wake of Assam violence.

The injured have been admitted to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri.

The railway authorities had yesterday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 15,000 each to the family of two passengers whose bodies were found near Belakoba.