Assam NGO moves court for probe into floating currency

Guwahati, June 27 (IANS) A voluntary organisation Wednesday filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Guwahati High Court seeking a government inquiry into the discovery of Indian currency notes of Rs.1,000 and Rs.500 denominations in a water body here Monday.

The Assam Public Works (APW) in its litigation also appealed for probe into the administration's failure to control the public chaos that ensued after the high-denomination currency notes were found floating in Silsako Beel, leading to the death of a youth Tuesday.

"After the incident was reported in the media, scores of people gathered at the spot, leading to chaos. But the Kamrup Metropolitan district administration and police remained silent spectators," secretary of APW Bitu Talukder said.

As the news about the currency notes spread, a large number of locals began searching for the notes in the water body in the Chachal area of the city.

On Tuesday, a youth in his early 20s jumped into Silsako Beel with some others, but drowned due to increasing water level of the water body.

Talukder said the police and district administration were duty-bound to maintain the law and order in such a situation and should have sealed the area.

"No police personnel or administration official has been seen in the area till date," he said.

"We have appealed to the court to direct the Assam government for inquiries," said Talukder.