All Adivasi National Liberation Army

Formation and Objectives

The All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA) was formed in the second half of 2006.

The AANLA claims to be fighting to safeguard the tribal culture of the plantation workers whose ancestors were brought from northern India by British colonialists. The outfit demands Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Adivasi community and rehabilitation of the displaced members of its community. Official sources, however, indicate that AANLA is not a well-organised group and it does not have well-thought out aims and objectives.

Area of Operation

The Golaghat and Karbi Anglong districts of Assam are the primary area of operation for the outfit. Few arrests of the AANLA cadres have also been reported from the western Assam district of Kokrajhar and the Dimapur city of Nagaland.

Leadership

The AANLA is headed by its chief commander David Tirkey alias Nirmal. Tirkey as per intelligence reports in Decmber 2007 is believed to be located in Jharkhand. A senior leader of the outfit Bikash alias Raj Munda was arrested in Guwahati on Decmber 10, 2007. Another senior leader Rupen Lakra was arrested on January 8, 2008 from Baghjan in the Karbi Anglong district. Prem Kawar is the Karbi Anglong District chief of the outfit.

The outfit has an estimated cadre strength of 100. The armed cadres of the outfit, however, are not believed to be more than 20. Weapons available with the outfit include AK series Rifles, carbines, pistols, .38 revolvers, grenade launchers, SLRs etc. The outfit is also believed to be in possesion of sophisticated explosive material. Some of the AANLA cadres have also been trained to assemble improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Funding

The outfit primarily targets the tea gardens of the Golaghat and Karbi Anglong districts for extortion. It abducts estate managers in the event of non-payment of its demand. Few activities of extortion by AANLA cadres have also been reported from the Tinsukia district.The outfit reportedly shares a portion of the extorted amount with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the NSCN-IM.

Linkages

Police sources have indicated that the ULFA played a significant role in its formation. The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), too, shares strategic linkages with the outfit.

The AANLA also has operational linkages with the Manipur-based Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA). The KRA has provided training and logistic support to the AANLA. KRA’s training camp at Singhasan in the Karbi Anglong district has reportedly been used for training the AANLA militants. KRA reportedly charges INR 5000 per month per head to train AANLA cadres. It also sells arms and ammunition to the AANLA.

Incidents

2010

August 24: The Army detained two suspected cadres of AALNA, identified as Pawan Kumar Gor and Motichand Chauhan, from Longsekjan under Bakaliaghat Police Station of Karbi Anglong District. Two detonators, two foot long of safety pines and 1.25 grams of explosive materials were recovered from their possession. Motichand, however, denied having involvement with the AANLA militant outfit.

August 2: At least 37 militants surrendered before the Assam Rifles at Khonsa in Tirap District. They included 23 NSCN-K and seven each from the NSCN-IM and AANLA. They also laid down 21 pistols, one M-16 assault rifle, one .22 Chinese rifle, one 9-mm carbine, one revolver, seven grenades and five SBBL guns. With August 2's surrender, so far 102 Northeast based militants surrendered at Khonsa in the last two years.

July 30: The Tea Association of India (TAI) has sent a distress message to the Assam Government seeking security in the wake of extortion notices being served by anti-talks faction of the NDFB and AANLA to several of its member gardens in Sonitpur and Darrang Districts recently. Sources in TAI, which has around 90 member gardens in Assam, said that the matter had been taken up at the highest level. The sources said the NDFB had recently served extortion notices to a few executives of Chikonmati and Panbari tea estates. A couple of days ago, militants armed with pistols and revolvers had abducted a senior staff member of Panbari, head clerk Kamal Das. He was released the next morning on payment of ransom, the sources added.

July 12: Assam Environment and Forest Minister Rokybul Hussain informed the State Legislative Assembly that militants killed 1,549 civilians and 205 SFs between 2001 and June 2010. In the armed encounters between the SFs and the militants of ULFA, NDFB, KLNLF etc, 1,703 militants were killed during this period. 144 innocent persons were killed when SFs opened fire to bring law and order situation under control during the period.

The Minister said that in the incidents of encounter between the SFs and the militants, 26 civilians were killed during the period. During this period, 2,043 ULFA cadres, 899 NDFB cadres and 102 KLNLF cadres surrendered before the Government and 10,242 members of various militant outfits were arrested. He also told the House that so far six ULFA leaders and 53 cadres of the outfit are in jail and between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2010 two of its leaders and 164 cadres were released on bail. The Government is interested in holding talks with ULFA, he said.

Further, he said the House that six militant outfits are active in the State at present. These organisations include-ULFA, NDFB, AANLA, Hmar People's Convention- Democracy (HPC-D), Muslim United Liberation Tiger of Assam (MULTA) and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM). According to him seven new outfits are active - Liberation Democratic Council of Mising Land (LDCM), United Tribal Liberation Front (UTLF), United Tribal Revolutionary Army (UTRA), Dimasa National Liberation Front (DNLF), Gorkha Liberation Army (GLA), Hills Tiger Force (HTF) and Santhal Tiger Force (STF) have come to light, said the Minister.

March 29: Assam Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain in the State Legislative Assembly said that among the active militant groups, the ULFA has a strength of 875 cadres, while the anti-talk faction of the NDFB has 225 cadres, AANLA has 30 cadres, Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) has 40 cadres, Hmar People's Convention-Democracy (HPC-D) has 50 cadres, MULTA has 110 cadres and Assam unit of the Harkat-ul-Mujaheedin has 45 cadres. The Minister further said that the Unified Command structure is active in the State for launching coordinated operations against militants. The Minister informed the House that in the last two years, 535 persons, including 494 civilians and 41 SFs, were killed by militants, while, during the same period, 333 militants were killed by SFs in counter-insurgency operations. He added that two outfits, Bircha Commando Force (BCF) and Adivasi Cobra Force (ACF), are in suspension of operation with the State Government and two others- BW and KLNLF laid down arms to join the mainstream.

February 10: One Steten Kustut, suspected to be an AANLA militant, was arrested by troops of BSF in Golaghat District. One locally made 12 bore rifle, 7 rounds, 04 live ammunition of .22 gun and INR 39000 were recovered from his possession.

January 10: Two suspected AANLA cadres were killed in an encounter with the Police in between Merabil and Shillongkhuti villages under Mazbat Police Station in Udalguri District.

2009

November 26: The AANLA ‘commander’ Francis Tirky alias Aakash was shot dead by the SFs at Kabaram Ingti Gaon (village) under Bokajan Police Station in Karbi Anglong District in the night. The sources said that the militant was hiding at Kabaram Ingti Gaon when SFs raided the place. The militant had joined the AANLA in 2003 and underwent training in Singhsan Pahar in the same District. He had surrendered to the Army in 2008 but soon thereafter absconded and recommenced extortion and illegal activities. He was one of the most wanted militant in the area of Bokajan and was deeply involved in sabotage and coercion activities. One 7.65-mm pistol along with four live rounds and four fired cases were recovered from the encounter site.

November 13: The SFs arrested two AANLA militants from the Singgaon area of Udalguri District.

November 11: 19 militants belonging to the NDFB, KLNLF, AANLA and ULFA surrendered before the Dah Division's headquarter at Dinjan in Dibrugarh District. Speaking on the occasion, Major General B.S. Sachar, the GOC of Dah Division, attributed the large-scale surrender to the peace initiatives of the Government and support from the local people.

October 29: Sources said that an unnamed faction of the NSCN has been giving armed training to the AANLA in different camps of Dhansiri sub-division of Golaghat District along the Assam-Nagaland border.

September 29: A cadre of the AANLA outfit, identified as Bharat Bhumij, was arrested by troops from the area of Tara tea garden near Doomdooma in Tinsukia District.

September 29: A cadre of the AANLA outfit, identified as Bharat Bhumij, was arrested by troops from the Tara tea garden near Doomdooma in Tinsukia District.

September 18: The BSF personnel arrested an AANLA militant, identified as Arjun Gorh alias Sanjay Gorh (27), from Naharbari village under Golaghat Police Station in Golaghat District. According to BSF sources, Arjun Gorh is the son of the late Shree Dukanur Gorh of No. 2 Panjan village under Sarupathar Police Station in Golaghat District. Preliminary investigation said the militant had gone to Quwani Mor area to extort money from a shopkeeper, Gopal Narotia, when he was arrested. A demand note of the AANLA of INR 300000 was recovered from the shopkeeper Gopal Narotia.

September 14: The BSF personnel arrested three AANLA cadres in the Gelabeel area under Borpathar Police Station of Golaghat District. The arrested cadres were identified as Issak Bag (29), Anil Hau (25) and Diganta Munda (24). Two hand-made pistols, some ammunition and three extortion notes were recovered from their possession.

August 7: 28 militants of various outfits surrendered before the Assam Rifles at Lekhapani in Tinsukia District. The surrendered militants included eight ULFA cadres, eight AANLA cadres, three NSCN-IM cadres, seven NSCN-K cadres and three NSCN-U cadres.

July 25: Three AANLA militants were arrested from Ramnagar in the Karbi Anglong District in the night. A rifle and two pistols were recovered from their possession.

May 14: Police arrested one Richard Tirkey, an AANLA militant, from Bokajan of Karbi Anglong District.

April 21: Six militants were arrested by SFs from different parts of Sonitpur District. Two KLNLF militants, identified as Sersing Terang and Jonaram Terang, were arrested from Biswanath Chariali in the Pathorijan Karbi block by a team of the Police and Assam Rifles. One bomb, a revolver, five detonators and 80 rounds of ammunition were seized from their possession. Elsewhere in the same District, a joint team of Police and Assam Rifles team also arrested three militants of the AANLA and seized a revolver from them. Another unidentified militant was arrested and live cartridges were recovered from his possession.

March 31: 53 militants, including 44 from the ULFA, surrendered before the Army at Dinjan Army station in the Tinsukia District. Besides the 44 ULFA militants, including four women cadres, there were three NSCN militants and six members of the AANLA. The militants deposited a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including 44 pistols, five guns, one machine gun and huge quantities of assorted ammunition.

March 10: SFs arrested one AANLA militant, identified as Golap Gour, from Bokoliaghat Shyampathar in the Karbi Anglong District.

February 12: The Assam Rifles personnel arrested two AANLA cadres, identified as Sanju Gowla and Samal Topno, from a hotel at Thelamara in the Sonitpur District. One Myanmar made 0.32- mm revolver was recovered from their possession.

February 1: 20 AANLA militants, under the leadership of ‘chief commander’, ‘Lieutenant’ Biren Gaur alias Sanjay Lakra, surrendered before the 181 Brigade of the Army at Bokajan in the Karbi Anglong District. They laid down five IEDs, nine 9-mm pistols, 16 detonators, four grenades, 53 rounds of 9-mm pistol ammunition and other explosives. Among those who surrendered were Udalguri District ‘commander’ Bharat Rajuar and his Sibsagar District counterpart Francis Tirkey.

January 27: SFs arrested an NDFB cadre, Promode Boro, and an AANLA cadre, Bikash Purthy, from different places in Udalguri District.

January 12: The Assam Government in a statement in the Legislative Assembly said eight militant groups, including the ULFA, KLNLF, Black Widow, AANLA, KRA, HuM, MULTA and HPC-D, are active in the State. Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain said both the ULFA and NDFB are carrying out subversive activities in Assam under the influence of foreign powers and top leaders of the outfit are staying abroad. He further said that in 2008, 124 militants belonging to various outfits were killed and over 1300 were arrested. The Security Forces also recovered 203 bombs and 202 grenades from the militants.

January 5: The Assam Home Department said the State Government had pointed out to Union Government that several outfits, including ULFA, AANLA and Black Widow, were taking refuge in the camps of NSCN-IM and NSCN-K in the neighbouring State of Nagaland. While some senior ULFA cadres were carrying out their activities from NSCN-K camps, militants belonging to the other two outfits were being hosted by the NSCN-IM in its camps. "However, given that the government is in a ceasefire with the two Naga outfits, it is Delhi's responsibility to ensure that their camps are not misused," a source said.

2008

December 26: Police arrested one more AANLA militant, identified as Sanjay Bhengra, from Baghjan area in the Karbi Anglong District, in connection with the bomb blast on railway tracks at Matipul of the same District on December 24.

December 25: Police arrested four AANLA militants in connection with the bomb blast on railway tracks at Matipul in the Karbi Anglong district.

December 24: A low-intensity bomb exploded on the rail tracks near Bokajan of Karbi Anglong District, five minutes after the Dibrugarh-bound Rajdhani Express train crossed the near by Khatkhati station. The rail track was partially damaged in the explosion. The bomb is suspected to have been planted by the AANLA, purportedly to avenge the recent arrest of its ‘commander-in-chief’ Nirmal Tirkey in Jharkhand.

December 21: Three AANLA militants were killed in an encounter with a joint team of Police and Army on the banks of the Bharla River under Panery Police Station in the Udalguri District. Two USA-made 9MM pistols, one Bulgarian-made .9 MM pistol and one Australian-made hand grenade were recovered from the slain militants.

December 17: Five of the 11 criminals arrested by Gumla Police in the State of Jharkhand nearly a month ago in connection with the abduction of Sitaram Narsaria, a local trader, were identified as cadres of the AANLA, an outfit operating in Assam. Assam Police personnel met the Gumla District (Jharkhand) Superintendent of Police, Baljit Singh, and showed him photographs of the AANLA members wanted in more than 100 cases of murder and abduction in Assam. According to Police spokesman, S.N. Pradhan, Magra Oroan alias Nirmal Tirkey alias David, the AANLA commander-in-chief and a resident of Devidpur village in the Golaghat District of Assam, was the mastermind of the outfit. He is the brain behind the explosion on Rajdhani Express train on December 13, 2007 at Chungajan under Sarupathar Police station of Assam in which five passengers were killed. Pradhan said the four others were John Kujur alias Deepak Kumar of Golaghat, Munna Nayak, a resident of Sonitpur, Rauni Lakra of Sivasagar and Arjun Oroan alias Motu, a resident of Nalbari.

December 7: The 'commander-in-chief' of AANLA, identified as Nirmal alias David Tirki, was arrested by Police from Jharkhand.

October 13: Three militants, one each from NDFB, AANLA and ULFA, surrendered before Brigadier VSBS Cherukupalli, Commander of 25 Sector Assam Rifles of Dah Division, at Lekhapani in Tinsukia district. The surrendered militants were identified as Ajay Basumatary of NDFB, Ghanshyam Guala of AANLA and Hemakant Deka of ULFA's '27 Battalion'.

October 3: Security forces of the 11th Maratha Regiment arrested two AANLA militants at Narambeel under Gossaigaon subdivision in Dhubri district and recovered two 303 rifles and two magazines from their possession. Later they are identified as Egnos Popo and Samrel Kuzur.

August 28: 39 militants, including 31 cadres of the '709 and 27 battalions' of the ULFA, surrender before the Army at the headquarters of the 21 Mountain Division at Rangia , about 45 kilometres from Guwahati. The others included five KLNLF cadres and cadres from the AANLA. The surrendered militants deposited a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including pistols, revolvers, grenades, detonators and gelatine sticks. During the time of their surrender, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (central-western range) G.P. Singh said the police have established contact with the leaders of the '709 and 27 battalions', who are expected to declare a cease-fire soon. Meanwhile, the General Officer Commanding the 21 Mountain Division, Major General Chander Prakash, stated that widespread disillusionment in ranks of the ULFA had led to several rounds of recent surrender by the ULFA cadres.

July 8: Three AANLA militants, including a woman, are arrested by Bokajan police from Baghjan. They are identified as Arti Kujur, Madan Karmakar and Jamal Ali. Arti is involved in the Rajdhani Express bomb blast in early 2008.

June 8: Army arrested two AANLA militants, identified as Ranjan Murmu and Janu Soren, with a cache of arms and ammunition from Gurufella under Kachugaon Police Station in the Kokrajhar district.

April 22 : Eight militants belonging to the KLNLF and AANLA give up arms in a surrender ceremony held at the Circuit House in Diphu in the Karbi Anglong district.

April 2: The report of the judicial inquiry headed by Justice (retd) R. K. Manisana Singh which is tabled in the Assam Legislative Assembly states that the AANLA incited a section of the protestors to assault residents and damage vehicles, roadside shops and houses in Beltola in Guwahati on November 24. The Manisana Singh report confirms that some of the protestors came with weapons at the behest of the AANLA leadership. Witnesses were quoted as saying that an AANLA leader, Bikash Munda, gave INR 20,000 to a senior functionary of the All Adivasi Students' Association of Assam to organise the rally for Scheduled Tribe status. "There was, prima facie, a case of conspiracy among some of the Adivasis at the instigation of the ANLA," Manisana Singh says in his report. The judicial inquiry reveals that administrative ineptness was also responsible for the November 24 Adivasi protest march turning into the worst instance of street rioting in Assam.

March 18: An expert in guerrilla warfare from Jharkhand, Ahin Beltapu, was arrested along with five AANLA cadres, including a woman, from a hideout in Chekta Basti near Chokihola inside the jungles of Karbi Anglong district. Other AANLA militants arrested along with Beltapu were identified as Rajesh Singh alias Ranjit Karket, Dilip Toppo, Sunil Modi, Mirmashi Toppo and Jayanti Karkate, are from different parts of Karbi Anglong and Golaghat districts.

March 3: Army personnel arrested one AANLA militant, Puneswar Kurmi, from Belengbari under Mathurapur police station in the Sibsagar district. Seven live bullets of AK-47 were recovered from his possession.

February 8: Assam Tribune reported that the Army arrested one AANLA cadre, Babulal Panna, on an unspecified date from Daluabari village under Kokrajhar police station in the Kokrajhar district. They also recovered one US made pistol from his possession and seven rounds of live ammunition from him.

January 30: Security forces arrested a militant belonging to the AANLA, Sabilal Sahu, at Molesbasti under the Bakalia Police station in the Karbi Anglong district, according to Assam Tribune. A 9 mm pistol was also recovered from his possession.

January 10: Rupen Lakra, the AANLA leader, who was arrested by the police on January 8-night, reportedly admitted that the cache of arms and ammunition that was dug up from a paddy field after his arrest came from the National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM). Lakra told interrogators that the ANLA ‘commander-in-chief’ David Tirkey struck the arms deal a few months ago when he was in Dimapur in the guise of a pastor.

January 8: Police arrested a top leader of the AANLA, identified as Rupen Lakra, at Baghjan in the Bokajan town of Karbi Anglong district and recovered a huge cache of arms and explosives.

2007

December 27: Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, stated that the AANLA is being supported by the NSCN-IM.

December 25: Five AANLA militants, Akash Tirkey alias Danial Ekka, self-styled area commander, Dhoni Oraon, Chandan Bhumij, Thomas Kerketta, and Samanan Tati alias Raju Tati, are arrested. They confessed that the NSCN-IM and KRA are providing training and arms and ammunition to them.

December 21: Two AANLA militants, identified as Putul Munda and Arjun Karmakar, are killed during a fratricidal killing in the Karbi Anglong district. Their bodies were recovered from Bokajan-Hidipi road. They were killed "as punishment" by the AANLA for failing to deposit with the outfit the extortion money they had extracted.

December 13: Five people were killed and four others injured in a bomb blast carried out by suspected AANLA militants in a Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express train in Assam's Golaghat district. The explosion, which occurred between Naujan and Sugajan, destroyed the luggage van of the train and a small portion of the railway track as well.

December 9: Police arrested seven cadres of the AANLA from different parts of the Guwahati city.

December 7: Suspected AANLA militants shot at and wounded Hem Chetri, the driver of an Arunachal Pradesh-bound oil tanker, while targeting his vehicle at Rangapara railway level-crossing under Rangapara police station in the Sonitpur district.

December 4: The locomotive and two sleeper coaches of the Kamrup Express were partially damaged in a bomb blast on the tracks between Bokajan and Khatkhati stations in the Karbi Anglong district by the AANLA.

November 2: An assistant manager of the Orang tea estate in the Udalguri district is abducted by a joint team of the suspected militants of the ULFA and AANLA.

September 14: Two AANLA militants were killed by police in an encounter at Males basti under Howraghat police station in the Karbi Anglong district where they had come to extort money from a businessman. One 9mm pistol and six rounds live ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

August 22: An AANLA cadre, identified as Soha Baski, was arrested from the Gossaigaon area of Kokrajhar district. One revolver, three Chinese grenades, four detonators and two IED circuits were recovered from his possession.

August 9: An abducted tea executive was set free by suspected AANLA militants. Anniruddha Tanti, the abducted tea executive, from Hirajuli Tea Estate under Dhekiajuli Police Station in Sonitpur district was found near a roadside eatery at Udalguri town in the neighbouring Udalguri district of northern Assam.

August 7: One woman was shot dead by AANLA militants at Jafarajan Chariali under Bokajan police station in the Karbi Anglong district.

July 23: One unidentified AANLA cadre was killed in an encounter with the police near Neparpatty Ghat under Sarupathar police station in the Golaghat district. One AK Rifle along with one magazine, eight rounds of live ammunition was recovered from him.

July 9: Police arrested four suspected AANLA cadres, Ajit Toppo alias Boga, Asao Bardhia, Linus Milj and Ganesh Rama, along with one Italian made 9-mm pistol and 10 rounds of ammunition from Bimalapur under Borhat police station in the Sivasagar district.

July 3: Six AANLA militants, including a woman, were arrested from Silanijan in the Golaghat district. They were reportedly on their way from Jaborijan, under Bokajan police station in neighbouring Karbi Anglong district, to Golaghat town for the treatment of two cadres who were suffering from malaria.

March 4: Two AANLA cadres were killed in an encounter with the police at Nalanipathar under Sarupathar police station in the Golaghat district while two others were arrested. Two AK-47 rifles were recovered from the arrested militants.

2006

October 5: Police at Dimapur in Nagaland neutralised two militant hideouts and arrested one AANLA militant and four KRA cadres from different areas.