CBI’s special court : 30th Oct Serial Bomb Blast in Assam, Ranjan Daimary, 14 Other Convicted

by Bhupen Goswami

Guwahati : The CBI’s special court on Monday convicted Ranjan Daimary and 14 others in the 30th October Serial Bomb Blast that shook Assam and claimed the lives of 88 people. The other 14 convicts are George Bodo, Jayanta Brahma, Ajay Basumatary, Prabhat Bodo, Raju Sarkar, Khargeshwar Basumatary, Rajen Goyary, B Thorai alias Baisagi, Lok Basumatary, Mathuram Brahma, Mridul Goyary, Nilim Daimary, Ansai Bodo and Indra Bodo. The Court will pronounce the punishment on January 30.The CBI’s special court pronounce its judgement after 10 years of hearings against the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) chief Ranjan Daimari and fifteen others accused under section 120(B), 121, 122, 123 and 302 of the IPC. It is to be mentioned that the blast claimed lives of 88 innocent people and injured 580 people in a series of bomb blasts allegedly carried out by the Ranjan Daimary- led National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) militants in Guwahati, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Barpeta on October 30, 2008.The 2008 Assam bombings took place on October 30 around noon with as many as 18 bombs going off simultaneously in the markets of Guwahati and surrounding areas of western Assam. The blasts had left 81 people dead and 470 injured. Special public prosecutor TD Goswami said the state has demanded death penalty. The CBI special court will pronounce the quantum of punishment on January 30. The group is in talks with the Government of India. Anjali Daimary, a rights activist and sister of Ranjan Daimary, said this kind of judgement and peace process cannot go together. A total of 22 people were accused in the case. Seven are absconding out of which two believed to be dead. The CBI filed two chargesheets. The trial started in the fast track court in 2017. The court examined 650 witnesses. Ranjan Daimary was the only one among the 14 others who was out on bail.