Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the killings of school students and children in encounters between militants and security forces would not be tolerated.
Intervening in a discussion in the assembly on the death of two schoolboys in an 'encounter' in Chirang district on December 11, Gogoi said the Director General of Police has been given instructions to prevent such killings.
"We will not tolerate it. Of course, if they open fire on the security forces it is a different matter and there are provisions in law for tackling it," he said.
He said there were schemes like free education, financial help and training in skill development for rehabilitating children affected by encounters.
Two boys, claimed to be NDFB (Songbijit) insurgents, were killed and another seriously injured in an 'encounter' with a joint army and police team at Raidwongbari under Runikhata police station, sparking a public outcry and attack on a police station.
Police claimed that three of the alleged militants, aged between 13 and 14 years, hurled a grenade at them forcing them to retaliate, killing two and critically injuring one.
The local people, however, claimed that the three boys, who were cousins, were innocent and that they were fired upon when they were sleeping on a haystack in the compound of their house.
Angered by the incident, a mob gheraoed Runikhata police station and threw stones damaging windowpanes and office property, besides setting ablaze five police motorcycles.
Following the incident the district deputy commissioner ordered an inquiry, while Gogoi said his government has decided to order a judicial probe into the matter.
