Assam government today said it will institute a bravery award after the name of the girl killed by Bodo militants, while the police admitted that her body was retrieved about 24 hours after she was shot dead.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced payment Rs 20 lakh as ex-gratia to the next kin of the girl and institution of bravery award in her name besides recommending her name to the central government for the National Bravery Award.
"Our Government will perpetuate the hallowed memory of the little brave girl who defied the dictates of the killers. Her valour and sacrifice will continue to inspire and motivate the young generation for years to come," an official release quoted Gogoi as saying.
Gogoi also directed the police to launch a massive manhunt to arrest the killers of the 16-year-old girl, who was a class IX student.
The teenaged girl was shot dead by NDFB ultras in presence of her parents at Dwimugri village under Runikhata police station in Chirang district as the militants suspected her of being a police informer.
The killing took place in the evening of August 21 and a video of the crime scene was aired by local television channels yesterday.
Assam Government spokesman and Industries Minister Pradyut Bordoloi yesterday said an enquiry would be held to ascertain the veracity of reports that her body was lying in a field in the village for two days as her parents were scared of the militants.
The police today admitted that the body was retrieved at least 24 hours after she was killed and blamed remoteness of the village and non-cooperation by villagers for the delay.
She was killed in the evening of August 20 while her body was retrieved in the evening the next day, Assam Police said in a statement here.
"The village is located in a very remote area and only approachable on foot," the statement said.
The girl's murder followed the killing of five NDFB(S) terrorists on August 20 at Dwimuguri in an encounter by a joint team of Assam Police and the Army.
