Songbijit pays for dissent

Guwahati: The Bodo outfit, National Democratic Front of Boroland-Songbijit (NDFB-S), which massacred 66 Adivasis on December 23 last year in three districts of Assam, removed its ‘president’ Songbijit Ingti Kathar a few days ago and elevated its interim general secretary B Saoraigwra to the top post.
A Karbi by ethnicity, Songbijit is reportedly holed up in Myanmar. He was sidelined when the outfit took the decision to massacre the Adivasis.The heinous crime was executed under the direction of G Bidai, deputy chief of the outfit’s armed wing.
“About four days ago, we received information that Songbijit has been removed from the post of the outfit’s chairman and made its advisor. B Saoraigwra is the new chairman of the outfit,” a source told TOI.
“Since the December 23 massacre, NDFB-S has been facing problems. Since Songbijit is a Karbi, the problems have multiplied. There is no split in the outfit as such,” a security source added.
Songbijit was the chief of NDFB, the parent body led by chairman Ranjan Daimary. After the NDFB-S was formed, Songbijit was made its ‘interim president’, B Naison its ‘interim vice-president’, B Saoraigwra the ‘interim general secretary’, B Jwngshar the ‘deputy military secretary’, B Sansula the ‘assistant finance secretary’, B Sibigiri the ‘assistant forest secretary’, H Leba the ‘assistant organizing secretary’, C Rwikha the ‘assistant publicity and G Bidai the ‘deputy chief of army staff of Boroland army.’
The cadres of the outfit are on the run after the Unified Command, led by the Army, launched a massive search operation in the aftermath of the December 23 incident. Four top leaders have been killed and over 200 rebels have been nabbed so far. The top brass, including Bidai and Songbijit, however, are elusive.