KLO claims responsibility of grenade hurled at Kokrajhar store, threatens grave consequences

Reported by Mizink Wary | Copy edited by Lipika Roy

Proscribed militant outfit Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) has claimed responsibility of the hand grenade that was hurled at the grocery store at Dotma market in Kokrajhar, Assam on Saturday. This comes within hours of police saying the grenade could be fake.

While police stated that the preliminary investigation into the matter suggested that the grenade was fake, KLO today said in a statement that it was them who hurled the grenade into the store owned by Subham Sarkar as he failed to pay Rs 5,00,000 as demanded by them.

The banned outfit also threatened Sarkar with grave consequences if the demand was not met soon.

The banned insurgent outfit said that on December 1, it had sent a notice to Subham Sarkar demanding him to contribute or donate a sum of Rs. 5,00,000 towards the revolutionary or war fund of the organisation within 1O days. Since he failed to provide the amount they asked for or respond to their demand even after the deadline had passed, it lobbed the hand grenade in front of Sarkar’s shop on Saturday.

The outfit said that if still Sarkar does not pay the amount they have demanded, he will soon face grave consequences.

It may be mentioned here that earlier in March this year, at least 10 businessmen in Kokrajhar district received extortion notice demanding Rs 5 lakh within 10 days from KLO. Several businessmen received letters from the banned organisation on their letterhead, and several traders even received messages from Bangladesh demanding payment.

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