Background
Parag Kumar Das was born in Shillong on 24 February 1964.
human rights activist journalist
Parag Kumar Das was born in Shillong on 24 February 1964.
He did his lower primary, primary and high schooling from Chenikuthi Boys School, M.C.M.E. Schhol and Cotton Collegiate Government High School School.
Prior to that he was the manager of Guwahati Stock Exchange. He was assassinated by SULFA in 1996. He had his education in Saint Stephens College and Delhi School of Economics, Delhi.
In 1977, he got the 4th position in HSLC examination.
He also got 4th position in the Pre-university examination from Cotton College in Science stream. Then he moved to Delhi for higher education.
He took admission in Saint Stephens College for his graduation in Economics. After that he joined the Delhi School of Economics for master degree.
In 1984, he joined as a manager in Punjab National Bank.
After that he moved to Unit Trust and Guwahati Stock Exchange as manager. In 1995 he quit from his job and joined as an editor in the Assamese daily Asomiya Pratidin. His open murder created huge outrage in the entire state of Assam and the human rights circles of the country.
Before the China, Burma, India Theatre of Operations filed its chargesheet, Diganta Baruah and Tapan Dutta were killed and in 2003 Nayan Das was hacked to death by a furious mob in Dibrugarh.
Promod Gogoi and Prabin Sarma, two other suspects were not charge-sheeted for lack of evidence against them. Mridul Phukan is the only surviving accused in the case.
But after thirteen years, on July 28, 2009, Justice Dilip Kumar Mahanta, District and Sessions Judge, Kamrup, has acquitted the prime accused citing lack of solid evidence. According to human rights activists, the key witnesses were not interviewed, some were intimidated, related materials were tempered to ensure the acquittal of the accused and cover up the state machinery’s role in the case.
Three of the accused were expired.
MASS leader Lachit Bordoloi, expressing his disappointment with the verdict, said that the MASS would approach higher courts and continue the fight for justice to the slain activist.
In 2001, China, Burma, India Theatre of Operations filed its chargesheet in Kamrup District and Sessions Court against the four accused - all members of the surrendered group of ULFA. The human rights activist, media, friends and family members of Das, all call it as a betrayal of the China, Burma, India Theatre of Operations and the Court.