The United Liberation Front of
Asom (ULFA) militants
triggered serial bomb blasts in three different areas of Guwahati
city, killing five persons, including a minor, and injuring 50
others. Of the five dead, two were identified as Amal Das (45)
and Kohil Sheikh (7). The first explosion took place around 2:25
PM (IST) in Birubari followed by high-intensity explosions in
the Bhootnath area (5:25PM) and Bhangagarh area (5:40PM). The
blasts were triggered hours before the scheduled arrival of Union
Home Minister P. Chidambaram. "From prima facie evidences
collected from the spot, it appears to be the handiwork of suspected
ULFA militants," said Additional Superintendent of Police
of Guwahati City, Debojit Deori. "The Birubari bomb, which
was planted in a GMC dustbin near the Assam Association of Deaf
office, was a low-intensity one. However, the subsequent blasts
were aimed to cause maximum damage as they were planted in crowded
areas," added Deori.
Security Force (SF) personnel
neutralised a camp of the Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation
Front (KLNLF) at
Lankaso in the Karbi Anglong District and arrested one ‘sergeant
major’ of the outfit. Four landmines, 300 detonators, an AK-47
Rifle and a 51 mm mortar were also recovered from the camp.
The National Democratic Front
of Bodoland (NDFB)
expelled its founder president, Ranjan Daimary alias D.R.
Nabla, days after replacing him with B. Sungthgra alias Dhiren
Boro as its new chief. The new NDFB president, Sungthgra, criticising
the alleged involvement of Daimary in the October 30 serial bomb
blasts in Assam, said that the NDFB would have no truck with the
former chief and his accomplices. "The NDFB, in a unanimous
decision of the national council, has expelled D.R. Nabla and
his associates with immediate effect as a disciplinary action,"
he stated. "We are shocked and surprised that Mr. D.R. Nabla
alias Ranjan Daimary, as per the statement of Ajay Basumatary,
who has been recently arrested along with three others in Goalpara
district, is proved to be directly involved in a series of bomb
blasts in Assam on October 30 where many innocent civilians were
brutally killed without any reason. The killing was inhuman and
unfortunate which reveals nothing but his love for sadism. He
not only committed crimes against humanity but also violated the
ceasefire which he himself declared unilaterally on October 8,
2004. The act is undoubtedly an act of terrorism and can never
be part of revolutionary struggle," the NDFB statement said.
January 2
The Guwahati Police released the
photograph of Pranjal Deka alias Biju Saraniya alias
Bhambhal, a cadre of the ULFA’s 709th battalion, who according
to security agencies, masterminded the three blasts in Guwahati
on January 1. Additional Superintendent of Police (City), Joyshree
Khersa, said Deka, who hails from Dwarkuchi village in Baksa District,
is still holed up in the city along with at least five other ULFA
militants.
SFs arrested a former Bodo Liberation
Tigers (BLT) cadre, Sanjarang Basumatary, and his accomplice Ranjit
Basumatary, prime accused in the murder of journalist Jagjit Saikia,
from Ranighat village under Kokrajhar Police Station.
The pro-talks group of the ULFA
has reportedly given up the demand for sovereignty. In a press
conference held at the designated camp at Kakopathar, the pro-talks
group leader Mrinal Hazarika said they would now sit for talks
with the Government within the framework of Indian Constitution.
The Army recovered two IEDs from
Rowta Chariali in the Udalguri District. The bombs weighing 7
kilogram were kept in a plastic bag near a tree in the Chariali
area.
January 4
Three bogies of a goods train
coming from Badarpur to Lumding were derailed and around 40 metres
of track damaged, when the suspected Black Widow (BW)
militants triggered a bomb blast on the railway track between
Harangajao and Mailongdisa railway stations in the North Cachar
Hills District. Train services in the Hill section were affected
due to the blast.
Two Kamtapur Liberation Organisation
(KLO) cadres were arrested
in a joint operation by Police and personnel of the Jat Regiment
from Bogribari in the Dhubri District. Police recovered 10 rounds
of live ammunition, some documents of the outfit and extortion
notes from them.
The Assam Police arrested a ULFA
cadre, Sanjeev Talukdar, from Rangiya. He is suspected to have
supplied the explosives which were used in the January 1 serial
bomb blasts in Guwahati. Following Sanjeeb’s confession, several
other militants were also arrested.
January 5
Sonitpur Police arrested nine distributors
and retailers of the Reliance Telecom Limited (RTL), who without
proper verification provided SIM cards, which were used by the
militants for the Guwahati serial blast on January 1.
Bharalumukh Police arrested six persons
at Bhutnath from Rangiya in connection with the January 1 serial
bomb blasts. They were identified as Imran Choudhury, Sanjib Talukdar,
Hemanta Phukan, Ganesh Kumar, Ravinder Singh and Tarun Kalita.
The Additional Superintendent of Police, Jayashri Khersa, revealed
that they had confessed their involvement in the bomb blast. While
some of the arrested persons were ULFA cadres, the rest were linkmen
of the outfit.
A woman cadre of the '28th battalion'
of the ULFA, identified as 'sergeant major' Mridula Kachari alias
Trishna, who was trained in Myanmar, was arrested by the Security
Forces (SFs) at Sonari in the Sivsagar District after a brief
encounter. Another ULFA cadre, identified as Jun Sing, managed
to escape from the encounter site.
The Home Department said the State
Government had pointed out to the Union Government that several
outfits, including the ULFA, AANLA and Black Widow, were taking
refuge in the camps of the 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.
January 6
The Government extended
the cease-fire agreement with the NDFB for a period of six months.
While talking to journalists in New Delhi, Assam Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi said "the agreement of suspension of operations with
NDFB has been extended by six months." He also said the NDFB would
have to abide by the ground rules with letter and spirit and should
not engage in violence. "If they involve in any violence in future
we will be forced to take action against them", he added.
January 9
A NDFB militant,
B. Banda alias Baren Basumatary belonging to the 1st battalion
of the outfit, was arrested from Rangapara Railway market in the
Sonitpur District.
January 10
Two ULFA cadres were shot dead by
SFs in two separate encounters at Maligaon in Guwahati and Baksa.
Police arrested three ULFA cadres
from the Chandmari and Noonmati areas of Guwahati.
The Baksa District Police arrested
a NDFB cadre, Dhanesh Chandra Boro alias B. Dwimunizira (35),
from Thamna under Borbori Police Station.
The Assam Legislative Assembly passed
the Assam Preventive Detention (Amendment) Act, 2009, increasing
the detention period of any person hindering the security of the
State from six months to two years. The amendment changed section
13 of the existing Assam Preventive Detention Act, 1980. The amendment
stated that a State Government officer, not below the rank of
secretary or district magistrate, if satisfied, could order detention
of any person with a view to prevent him from acting in any manner
prejudicial to the security of the state, maintenance of law and
order and also maintenance of supplies and services essential
to the community.
January 11
In a four-page statement
signed by 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua that was faxed to
a section of the media, the ULFA claimed that an "infamous" "gang
of six" police officers was responsible for the January 9 blast
in the Maligaon locality of Guwahati city to malign the outfit's
image.
January 12
The Assam Government stated in the
Legislative Assembly that 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 that
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.
The Justice P.C. Phukan Commission
of Inquiry, probing the ethnic clashes between Hmars and Dimasas
in the North Cachar Hills and Cachar Districts in 2003, tabled
its report in the State Legislative Assembly. Over 50 people had
lost their lives in the conflict. In its report, the Commission
has recommended proper implementation of the cease-fire ground
rules between the DHD and Assam Government.
January 13
Two personnel of the Border Roads Organisation
(BRO) were killed and another was injured when suspected militants
opened fire inside a BRO camp at Chimen Chapori in the Dhemaji
District. The slain troopers were identified as Pyar Chand and
Pritam Chand. The Border Roads Task Force, under the BRO, is building
a bridge in the area.
A ULFA militant, identified as Tapan Das, was
killed during an encounter with SFs at Geetanagar locality of
Guwahati city. The slain militant was involved in the abduction
and subsequent killing of FCI executive P.C. Ram in July 2007.
Police said Das, belonging to the outfit's 709th battalion, was
trained in sophisticated arms and bomb-making techniques and was
involved in several bomb and grenade explosions in the city in
the past few years.
A NSCN-K militant was killed and a civilian injured
in an encounter with the Assam Police at Lahorijan Market in the
Karbi Anglong District, near the Assam-Nagaland border. The slain
militant was identified as one Honato Sumi from Suruhoto range.
He was a former member of the Isak-Muivah (IM) faction of the
NSCN. A .32 pistol, eight empty cases and one live round of ammunition
was recovered from the encounter site.
46 militants, including 42 cadres of the NDFB
and four belonging to the ULFA, surrendered at Bathoupuri in the
Baksa District. Of the 42 NDFB militants who laid down arms before
police at Mushalpur in Baksa, 20 are from the outfit's Borbori
designated camp, including a number of "corporals" and "lance
corporals", mostly from NDFB's 4th battalion. The group laid down
two AK-56 series rifles with two magazines and 300 rounds of ammunition,
two 9mm pistols with two magazines and 17 rounds of ammunition,
two Chinese pistols, two revolvers, 10 Chinese grenades, 50 kilograms
of TNT and one pen pistol with six rounds of ammunition. The surrendered
ULFA militants included a woman cadre from the outfit's Enigma
group, identified as Namita Kalita.
January 14
Police arrested a ULFA militant, Jayanta Kalita,
from Lalmati in the Basistha area of Guwahati city. He had joined
the outfit around four years ago. The Police also detained Bhabani
Deka, owner of Kalita's rented house at Lalmati.
The pro-talks DHD made it clear that its cadres,
living in at least five designated camps in the North Cachar Hills
District, must be allowed to hold on to their arms for self-defence.
Referring to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement in Shillong
on January 3 that all the militant groups in the Northeast, including
those who are pro-peace, must first lay down their arms to facilitate
talks, the DHD chief Dilip Nunisa said such a step would be very
"unfortunate". Nunisa said his cadres without arms would be left
"vulnerable" to attacks in both North Cachar Hills and adjoining
Karbi Anglong Districts, especially in view of the threat from
the rival Black Widow outfit.
January 15
The KLNLF has threatened to withdraw its unilateral
ceasefire "if the security forces continue their intensified operation"
against the outfit. "We will be forced to withdraw the unilateral
cease-fire from February 1," said Rijak Dera, publicity secretary
of the KLNLF in a press release. "We want peace in Karbi Anglong
and NC Hills, hence we declared unilateral ceasefire on January
1, 2009 to pave the way for normalcy. On the contrary the security
forces intensified their operation against us", he added. The
KLNLF has also called for a 36-hour shut down in the Karbi Anglong
District beginning from 5 am on January 16 to 5 pm on January
17 in protest against the killing of 'corporal' Longki Timung
by the Security Forces on January 12.
Police recovered a crude bomb from a bag in a
Dimapur-bound bus at Khatkhati in the Karbi Anglong District.
January 16
Seven hardcore MULTA militants were arrested from
the Chapar and Gouripur areas of Dhubri District. They were identified
as Abdul Rahman, Abdul Mazid Sheikh, Nazrul Islam, Akhrul Zaman
Talukdar, Halim Ali, Kamizuddin and Mokiul Islam Miah. A locally-made
pistol, two hand grenades, seven rounds of AK-47 rifle ammunition
were recovered from their possession, Police sources said.
Assam Police neutralised a hideout of the Manipur-based
PULF militants in Guwahati and arrested two persons, including
a woman, for their links with the outfit. The arrested woman,
identified as Noorsena, is suspected to be the wife of the 'finance
secretary' of the PULF. The other arrested person was identified
as Zakir Hussain. A 9 mm pistol was also recovered from their
possession.
January 17
Two militants, including the founder general secretary
of the PLFM, John Jubilee D. Shera Marak, were killed in an encounter
with the Army at Hat Hati bridge near Singhimari village on the
National Highway 37 in the Bongaigaon District.
A huge quantity of arms and ammunition, including
27 AK series and Chinese rifles, belonging to the ULFA was recovered
by the Police in the Tinsukia district. On a tip-off, Police from
Dibrugarh District along with their counterpart from neighbouring
Tinsukia District launched a joint operation at the Boholram village
in the Kukurmara Sadiya area of Tinsukia District, Dibrugarh Superintendent
of Police Anurag Agarwala told journalists in Dibrugarh.
Army personnel arrested a linkman of the KLNLF,
Rajesh Ronghang, from Tisso village under Bakalia Police station
in the Karbi Anglong District. INR 24,000 was recovered from him.
Army sources said Rajesh used to collect cash from the village
elders for the militant outfit.
January 18
Four ULFA cadres were killed in two separate operations
by the Police and the Army at Khoya village in the Kamrup (Rural)
District. In the first incident, two militants belonging to the
group's 709 battalion were moving to Guwahati from Nalbari when
the encounter took place. Two pistols, two Austrian grenades,
three detonators, two IEDs and 500 grams of ammonium nitrate were
seized from the slain militants.
Two militants, also belonging to the 709 battalion,
were killed by Army personnel at Samukha village under Kamalpur
Police station in the Baska District. The SFs seized two 9 mm
US-made pistol, two electronic detonators and several extortion
notes from the slain militants.
An ULFA militant was arrested by SFs from his
residence at Panitema village in the Baska district.
The 36-hour general shutdown called by the KLNLF
in the Karbi Anglong District, in protest against the killing
of one of their cadres, passed off peacefully with no report of
any untoward incident. Government offices, educational institutions
and private establishments, however, remained closed during the
shutdown period on January 17-18.
Four anti-terror training schools will be set
up in Assam. The Director General of Police of Assam, G. M. Srivastava,
said, "The training schools would certainly add teeth to the anti-terror
operations in the State and the implications of the same would
be there to be seen in other States of the North East."
January 19
Police in Dibrugarh District recovered three Universal
Machine Guns, one AK 47 rifle, 10 magazines, and 200 rounds of
live ammunition buried underground amid bamboo groves in the Mahmora
village under Namrup Police station.
Tinsukia District Police recovered four AK M-22
(Chinese version) assault rifles, 12 empty AK series magazines
and 400 AK series live ammunition in the Lakhipathar reserve forest
area near Mamoroni village under Digboi Police Station. The arms
and ammunitions, concealed in bags, were buried under a tree near
a drain.
A ULFA linkman, Girish Saikia, was arrested from
Sonari in Sivasagar District. He was reportedly working for the
outfit's 28th battalion.
The ULFA denied using Bangladesh as a launch pad
for its activities in Assam. A statement issued by the outfit's
chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said allegations about the outfit using
Bangladesh soil was an attempt to brand it as a terrorist organisation
before the international community. Rajkhowa claimed that the
Government of India was trying to use the outcome of the recent
Bangladesh elections as an anti-ULFA weapon.
January 20
Army personnel recovered a large
cache of explosives and ammunition, including one kilogramme of
plastic explosives, 235 detonators, eight metres of safety fuse
and large number of ammunition of AK series, 9-mm and 7.62 ammunition,
from a house in the Bhelughat area of Karbi Anglong District.
Police sources said the cache belonged to the KLNLF.
January 21
Two KLNLF militants and a KNPF militant
were killed in two separate encounters with SFs in the Karbi Anglong
District. In the first incident near Laklangso under Howraghat
police station, two KLNLF militants, identified as Bidya Ronghang
and Deven Ronghang, were shot dead. In the second incident at
Dungkalangso under Bokolia police station, Ritik Hanse, a KNPF
militant, was killed in an encounter. One 9mm pistol was recovered
from the possession of the slain militant. One grenade, a 9-mm
pistol and 19 live rounds of ammunition were found from the encounter
site at Howraghat.
The SFs arrested one 'corporal' of
the ULFA, identified as Dipen Buragohain alias Bubu Gogoi, from
Raghuguri village in the Sivasagar District.
One ULFA cadre, identified as Uday
Bharali, escaped from the Sadiya designated camp of Tinsukia District
with an AK-56 rifle. The SFs, in the past month, have reportedly
voiced concern on the disappearance of some cadres of ULFA's 'Alpha
and Charlie' companies from the designated camps.
January 22
A 40 kilogramme bomb was recovered
by the SFs from the courtyard of one Hari Prashad Das of Aoubari
village at Goreshwar in the Baksa District.
SFs recovered an IED from a Guwahati-bound
passenger bus at Barkura Chwak on NH-31 in Nalbari District. The
IED weighing about three kg was kept in a bag of the bus Raj Nandini
which was coming from Barpeta.
The SFs arrested two MULTA militants,
identified as Hatem Ali and Fazrul Ali, from Sirajuli area under
Dhekiajuli Police Station in the Sonitpur District.
January 23
SFs recovered a bomb weighing 10
kilograms and arrested a suspect, Karimullah, from Kacharibasti
area in the Darrang District.
An IED was recovered from a Dhubri-bound
bus by the troops at Panbari in Dhubri District.
The Guwahati City Police arrested
a MULTA militant, Mohammad Dilwar, from Sarabbhati area. Police
sources added that Mohammad Dilwar is a Bangladeshi national and
some Bangladeshi currency and documents were recovered from his
possession.
One ULFA cadre, identified as Arup
Nayak alias Nelo, was arrested by the SF personnel from
Borpatra area under Borhat Police Station in the Sivsagar District.
SFs arrested an ULFA cadre, Hareswar
Das, from Diajiri in the Kokrajhar District. Two hand grenades
were recovered from his possession. Based on his confession, Police
arrested two more persons, Mohammad Sabjal Ali and Mohammad Kazia
Akhan, from Kauniabhasa in the same district. A handmade pistol
and six rounds of ammunition were recovered from them.
Three ULFA cadres, Himalay Bora alias
Arun Baruah, Bolin Moran alias Rinku and Tapan Gogoi alias
Kanak alias Kalpa, managed to escape from their designated
camps. While Arun escaped from the Moran-based camp, Rinku and
Kalpa managed to escape from the Kakopathar camp.
The Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Tribunal has served notice to the National Democratic Front of
Bodoland (NDFB) to show cause as to why it should not be declared
as an unlawful association. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Tribunal was constituted by the Union Government with Justice
S.N. Aggarwal, Judge of Delhi High Court, for the purpose of adjudicating
whether or not there is sufficient cause declaring the NDFB as
unlawful association. The report adds that the Union Government
had already declared the NDFB as unlawful association under the
provision of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
January 24
Four IEDs were recovered by the SF
personnel from Dhola weekly market in the Darrang District. The
IEDs weighing eight kilograms were kept in a sack.
Army personnel recovered two high
intensity bombs near Gohpur railway station in the Sonitpur District.
"The bombs were probably to be ferried to Guwahati by train,"
said an unnamed Police Official at Gohpur Police Station.
Two MULTA militants, Sahidur Rahman
and Nasiruddin, were arrested by the SF personnel. While Sahidur
Rahman was arrested from Sadartilla along the Assam-Bangladesh
border, Nasiruddin was arrested from Kaliabor in the Nagaon District.
According to Police sources, they had links with the DGFI of Bangladesh.
January 25
An IED was recovered by SF personnel
in front of a PWD office at Phulbagan under Sadar Police Station
in Dibrugarh. The explosive was kept by suspected militants in
a bag lying beside a bicycle in the crowded place.
A suspected ULFA cadre was arrested
by the Police from Chabua in Dibrugarh.
A KLO cadre, Pankaj Deka, was arrested
at an unspecified place under Golokganj Police Station in the
Dhubri District.
Eight NDFB militants and two ULFA
cadres surrendered before the Superintendent of Police of Golaghat
District. The ULFA militants were identified as 'sergeant major'
Pritam Doley alias Mickel Singh and cadre Polash Jyoti Baruah.
The eight NDFB militants were identified as Ajoy Khaklari, Sanjoy
Boro, Pabitra Basumatary, Nayan Basumatary, Parimal Khaklari,
Arabinda Daimary, Sanjeev Khaklari and Binanda Khaklari. They
laid down one .22riffle, one 9-mm pistol and one .32 pistol along
with six cartridges with magazines.
Three cadres of the 'Alpha' and 'Charlie'
companies of ULFA's '28 battalion' who had managed to escape from
their designated camps in the night of January 23, said oppression
and ill-treatment by their leaders, specifically Jiten Dutta,
forced them to desert the pro-talks group. The cadres said they
had been expelled because they had opposed Dutta's "autocratic"
ways.
January 26
A DHD cadre, identified as ‘lance
corporal’ Zenga Dimasa, was shot dead by its rival BW outfit near
Digandu under the Doyangmukh police station in the North Cachar
Hills District. Another cadre, identified as ‘second lieutenant’
Manik Dimasa, was injured in the incident.
January 27
A 14 year-old girl, identified
as Ranjali Baglary, was injured in the crossfire between SFs and
suspected NDFB militants at Ambagaon under Udalguri Police station.
An Army trooper was also injured in the shootout. The Army managed
to arrest one of the militants, identified as William Daimary.
An IED of 3.5 kilograms was recovered
from a railway track at 459/2 km point between Bhojo and Longpatia
railway stations.
SFs arrested two suspected militants,
identified as Safiur Rahman and Afsar Ali Mullah, along with a
bomb weighing about 1.5 kilograms, from Bherberi under Tamarhat
Police station in the Kokrajhar District.
SFs arrested an NDFB cadre, Promode
Boro, and an AANLA cadre, Bikash Purthy, from different places
in Udalguri District.
The pro-talks group of the ULFA,
under the leadership of Jiten Dutta, accused the Indian Army of
trying to derail the peace process by luring its cadres away from
the designated camps to surrender. "We have definite information
that some cadres, including those who had fled with weapons from
our designated camps, are with the army and are likely to surrender
in the days to come," said Jiten Dutta. However, rejecting
these allegations, the General-Officer-Commanding (GOC) of the
Dinjan-based Second Mountain Division, Major General Jatinder
Singh, said: "These are all loose talk and the army never
gets entangled in such issues."
January 28
SFs neutralised a KLNLF camp at
Langlakso under the Howraghat police station in the Karbi Anglong
District. According to police, 12 KLNLF militants managed to escape
before the SFs reached the camp. Some clothes, shoes and cooking
material were recovered from the camp.
Two KLNLF cadres, identified as
Surendra Tokbi and Kalam Sing Kro, were arrested by the SFs from
Centre Bazaar in the Karbi Anglong District. An identity card
issued by the Karbi Anglong District Congress Committee was recovered
from his possession.
January 29
Two Police personnel and one ULFA
militant were killed in an encounter in the Sivasagar District.
According to Police sources, the encounter took place at Bengenabari
area under Sonari Police station when a joint patrol party of
the Police and Army was attacked by the ULFA militants. Assistant
Sub-Inspector Bhim Prasad Upadhaya and Constable Debojit Borgohain
were killed on the spot, while the slain ULFA militant is yet
to be identified.
A bomb weighing 2.3 kilograms
was recovered from a forest on the bank of the Pasnoi River at
Orang in the Udalguri District.
Two suspected HuJI militants,
identified as Rafique Ali and Mohammad Ali, were arrested by the
SFs from Borgaon in the Tezpur District.
January 30
The HuJI-B is reportedly planning
to set up camps in the strategic areas of lower Assam. Documents
recovered from three HuJI-B cadres, who were arrested during seizure
of fake currency in the Barpeta District, revealed the outfit's
plan to set up bases in strategic areas of lower Assam for subversive
activities.
February 1
A joint team of Chandmari, Guwahati
and Tarabari Police carried out a search operation in the Roumari
Pathar village under Tarabari Police station of the Barpeta District
and recovered a bomb weighing eight kilograms from the residence
of one Lalchand Ali.
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 the Udalguri District ‘commander’ Bharat Rajuar
and his Sibsagar District counterpart, Francis Tirkey.
February 3
One unidentified KLNLF cadre was
shot dead during an encounter with the Assam Rifles personnel
at Anjukpani under Howraghat Police station in the Karbi Anglong
District. One AK-56 rifle was recovered from the encounter site.
The Army recovered an improvised
explosive device weighing about 7-8 kilograms from a Barpeta bound
bus near Chepti under Rangiya Police station in the Kamrup District.
A five-member delegation of the
pro-talks ULFA militants belonging to the ‘28th Battalion’ led
by Mrinal Hazarika arrived in New Delhi to hold discussions with
the Union Government. According to sources, the delegation is
expected to meet a cross-section of political leaders and opinion
makers to elucidate their views on a negotiated settlement of
the militancy problem.
The UPDS has rejected the new
cease-fire ground rules of the Union Government and decided to
move the Centre for its modification. The UPDS ‘joint secretary’
in-charge of home and publicity, Tong Eh-Nongloda, said the central
executive of the outfit, in the two rounds of meeting held recently,
raised objections to the new clause that its members must surrender
their arms before signing the cease-fire.
February 5
An unidentified ULFA militant
was shot dead by the SFs at Polokhata under Barama Police Station
in the Baksa District. A pistol and a hand grenade were recovered
from his possession.
An encounter took place between
the Police and a group of ULFA militants at Solmara village in
the Nalbari District. The militants opened fire on the Police
who retaliated their firing. Two militants were arrested from
the encounter site and one pistol was recovered from their possession.
The Basistha Police arrested a
ULFA cadre, identified as Jintu Borah, from the Bhangagarh area
of Guwahati city.
The BSF personnel arrested a suspected
Islamist militant from the Mankachar area along the India-Bangladesh
border in Dhubri District. He was identified as Abdul Kalam of
Kurigram area in Bangladesh.
The Shillong Times quoting
Mrinal Hazarika, former chief of ULFA's ‘28th battalion’, reports
that the top ULFA leaders have close links with the Pakistani
ISI and have been enjoying patronage of the Bangladeshi DGFI.
"The top ULFA leadership has close links with ISI, DGFI and some
Islamic organisations. Without their support, it is not possible
for anyone to have bases in Bangladesh," said Mrinal Hazarika
in New Delhi.
February 6
One ULFA militant, identified
as Trailokya Deka, was shot dead by the SFs during an encounter
at Nasatra under Sarthebari Police Station in the Barpeta District.
SFs arrested five MULTA militants
from Gauripur in the Dhubri District along the India-Bangladesh
border.
The BW militants abducted four
employees of a Chennai-based company, engaged in a seismic survey,
from their work site in Langting area under Maibong Police Station
in the North Cachar Hills District. According to the North Cachar
Hills District Police, "a group of eight to 10 armed militants
in military fatigue went to the Langting work site of the Eagle
Marketing Corporation and taken away the four surveyors".
The abducted employees were identified as Suresh Kumar, Nitish
Kumar, Mahinder and Sarthak.
Two suspected ULFA supporters,
Shyamanta Senchowa and Hitesh Gogoi, were arrested by a joint
team of the Army and Police from Tingkhong in the Dibrugarh District,
for extorting money from the traders using letterheads of the
ULFA.
The head of Myanmar’s military
junta assured that it would not allow its territory to be used
by the militants to target India. The assurance came from General
Than Shwe, Chairman of State Peace and Development Council, at
a meeting with the visiting Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari
in Myanmar.
February 7
A Chennai-based undertaking, the
Indian Oil Tanking Limited, temporarily suspended its seismic
survey operations in the North Cachar Hills District following
the reported abduction of its four surveyors by suspected Black
Widow militants from the work site at Langting under Maibong Police
Station in the evening of February 5.
February 8
Telegraph reports that the
Unified Command Structures of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have
launched a joint operation to neutralize transit camps set up
by the militants in Changlang and Tirap Districts to prevent them
from reaching Myanmar. The counter-insurgency operations would
target militants of the ULFA and NSCN, besides militants operating
from West Bengal and Sikkim, who take shelter and receive training
in the Districts of Arunachal Pradesh with support from larger
outfits. Apart from Changlang and Tirap, camps in Tamulpur, Darrang,
Kajalgaon and Udalguri areas of Assam bordering Bhutan would also
be targeted.
February 9
A MULTA militant, identified as
Habibar Ali, was arrested by the SFs along with two bombs from
Phulgasa village under Fakirganj Police Station in the Dhubri
District.
February 10
Police recovered a Chinese hand
grenade at No.2 railway line near Sashri Gaon under Lumding Police
Station in the North Cachar Hills District. Police arrested six
persons in connection with the recovery.
Telegraph reports that
Ashok Saikia, proprietor of the Indian Oil Tanking Limited, said
a militant group identifying itself as the DNLF claimed responsibility
for the abduction of its four employees, who were engaged in the
company’s seismic survey operation in the North Cachar Hills District.
The report adds that the leader of the new group identified himself
as Bret Lee. The Police had initially suspected the involvement
of the BW group in the abduction since the outfit had earlier
targeted companies involved in development projects.
February 11
Militants belonging to the BW
outfit shot dead a school teacher, Munit Bodo, at Maibong area
in the North Cachar Hills District.
Suspected NSCN-K militants shot
dead a Hindi-speaking trader, identified as Rameshwar Sahu, at
Lower Haflong town. The son of the slain trader, Satrughna Sahu,
said that the militant outfit had served extortion notice on his
father demanding INR 1 50000 by February 6.
Army personnel recovered 40 kilograms
of gelatine from Amalpur village in Sadiya area of Tinsukia District.
February 12
The dead body of a trader, identified
as Sambhu Das, who was abducted by unidentified militants from
Bhanga town in the Karimganj District along the India-Bangladesh
border on February 5, was recovered from a pond in Moirangadi
village of the same District. According to Police sources, militants
of an unspecified faction of the National Socialist Council of
Nagaland who had recently deserted their base in Dimapur town
might be involved in the killing.
One DHD militant, identified as
Lojendra Langthasa, was shot dead by militants of the rival BW
fraction at Khalimindisa under Maibong Police Station of North
Cachar Hills District.
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.
Two persons were wounded when
the house of the BW faction ''commander'' Morung was ransacked
by unidentified militants.
February 14
Five gelatine sticks and fuse
wires were recovered from a vehicle at Gilabari in the Dhemaji
District. One person was arrested in connection with the recovery.
Troops arrested a suspected PULF
militant, identified as Anwar Hussain, from Labakar village in
the Cachar District. A large quantity of explosive materials,
including eight gelatin sticks weighing 1 kilogram, eight detonators
and a fuse wire, was recovered from his possession. He was planning
to carry out serial bomb blasts in Silchar and Lakhimpur area
of Cachar District. He was also involved in the recruitment of
local persons for the Azad faction of the PULF.
February 15
An unidentified KLNLF militant
was shot dead by the troops during an encounter at Langlakso Hanse
village under Howraghat Police Station in the Karbi Anglong District.
Some arms and ammunition were recovered from his possession.
February 16
Police arrested one MULTA militant,
identified as Saiful Islam, at Samuguri Bajiagaon in the Nagaon
District.
February 17
One Surrendered ULFA cadre, identified
as Rajesh Das, was shot dead by suspected ULFA militants in the
Guromari Pathar area of Barpeta District.
February 19
One suspected ULFA militant, identified
as Indrajeet Roy, was arrested by the Army personnel from Koimari
village under Golokganj Police Station in Dhubri District.
One MULTA cadre, identified as
Imtiaz Ahmed, was arrested by the Army personnel from C.R. Das
Road in Dhubri Town.
The four surveyors of a Chennai-based
company, who were abducted from their Langting work site on February
5, by militants of the DNLF, were released in North Cachar Hills
District. Ashok Saikia, proprietor of the Indian Oil Tanking Limited,
which had engaged the Chennai-based company, said the four were
released unharmed.
Protesting against the killings,
kidnappings, torture and extortions of hundreds of people in North
Cachar Hills District by the BW outfit, the rival DHD submitted
a memorandum to the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram asking
for strong measures against the BW. The memorandum signed by Dilip
Nunisa, ‘chairman’ of DHD, Kanto Langthasa, home secretary of
DHD and Ronsling Dimasa, organising secretary of DHD, mentioned
the free movement of BW cadres and the silence of the North Cachar
Hills District administration.
February 20
The pro-talks faction of the ULFA
raised a demand for "full autonomy" to Assam within
the framework of Indian Constitution after detaching itself from
the ULFA’s "demand for restoration of Assam’s sovereignty".
The ‘president’ of the pro-talks faction, Mrinal Hazarika, and
two other senior leaders, Prabal Neog and Jiten Dutta, informed
that the faction had submitted an 18-point charter of demands
to the Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on February 19 for solution
of the insurgency problem in Assam through negotiations.
The new Inspector-General of the
BSF’s Assam-Meghalaya frontier, Prithvi Raj, said "no hard
steps" had been taken by Bangladesh so far to dismantle the
Northeast militant camps in that country despite verbal assurances.
February 22
A jute trader of Bogribari area,
identified as Kartick Sen, was abducted by a combined group of
suspected ULFA and KLO militants from his residence at Bogribari
Bazaar area in the Dhubri District. According to Police sources,
five motorcycle-borne militants called Kartik Sen out of his house
and took him away after opening fire in the air. Four years back,
Sen’s eldest brother Ganesh Sen had been shot dead by the ULFA.
February 23
A self styled ‘corporal’ of ‘28th
Battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as Manab Handique alias
Dambaru Bora, was arrested by Police personnel at Padumoni
area of Golaghat District.
February 24
Suspected NDFB militants shot
dead a trader, identified as Sahiram Parekh, from Panbari area
in the Diphu town of Karbi Anglong District.
February 25
SFs arrested one NSCN-K militant,
identified as ‘2nd lieutenant’ Chi Bui Be, from the Badarpur-Lumding
train at Dautuhaja railway station in the North Cachar Hills District.
One 9-mm pistol and six rounds of live ammunition were recovered
from his possession.
One suspected linkman of an unspecified
militant group, identified as Mohammad Abdul Salam, was arrested
by the BSF from Kalahat area of Dhubri District.
The NDFB moved a petition before
the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act Tribunal headed by Justice
S.N. Agarwal challenging the official notification of the Union
Home Ministry issued on November 23, 2008, banning the outfit
afresh for two years.
February 26
In a joint operation, the Assam
Police and CRPF personnel shot dead two top militants belonging
to the ‘Bravo company’ of the ULFA’s ‘28th Battalion’ at Balijan
village under Jengraimukh Police Station in Jorhat District. The
duo were identified as ‘operation commander’ Bhaskar Hazarika
and ‘sergeant major’ Sarat Bora. Nine bags of incriminating documents
relating to the ‘28th Battalion’, an AK-47 rifle, 20 detonators
and fuse wires, two pistols and several grenades were recovered
from the incident site. In addition, $10,000 and INR 100000 in
cash was recovered from a bag.
A Police officer was shot dead
and a railway employee sustained injuries when a five-member team
of the BW militants ambushed a Police patrol at Langting area
under Maibong sub-division of North Cachar Hills District.
The personnel of Sashastra Seema
Bal arrested two unidentified left-wing extremists at Saralpara
village in the Kokrajhar District.
31 NDFB militants surrendered
at Kajalgaon parade ground in Chirang District.
February 27
A ‘sergeant major’ of the BW outfit,
identified as Daupri Dimasa alias Profes Hojai, surrendered before
the Army at Haflong in the North Cachar Hills District.
One KLNLF militant, Babu Phancho
alias Jiten Tumuna, surrendered before the BSF at Dolomara
area of Karbi Anglong District. He laid down one AK 47 rifle,
AK 47 magazine and six rounds of ammunition.
February 28
45 militants, including 32 ULFA
cadres, six KLNLF cadres, five NDFB cadres and a cadre each of
the MULTA and PLF-M, surrendered along with a huge quantity of
arms and ammunition before Red Horns Division of Indian Army in
a surrender ceremony organized at Rangiya of Kamrup District.
March 1
Two unidentified NDFB militants
opened fire and threw hand grenades on civilians at Azarguri under
Jamuguri Police Station in the Sonitpur District. However, no
causality was reported. The duo had earlier gone to collect money
from one Bhuban Acharyya of Morisuti around 9 am (IST) on February
27 but were caught and assaulted by the locals. In retaliation
to the assault, they returned in the night of March 1 and attacked
the civilians.
Indrajit Majumdar alias Tarjan
Dimasa, ‘tax commander’ of the DNLF, surrendered before the District
administration at Haflong in the North Cachar Hills District.
The KLNLF extended its unilateral
cease-fire with the Union Government for another 15 days with
effect from March 1. The outfit’s earlier cease-fire period expired
on February 28.
March 2
Assam Police arrested one ULFA
militant, identified as Navajit Das alias Himanshu Roy,
from the Garchuk area of Guwahati city. A member of the outfit’s
central committee, he has been with the ULFA since 1995.
Police arrested a woman ULFA cadre,
identified as Lamayanti Roy alias Ajanta Rabha of Chipansila
area in the Bongaigaon District.
March 3
Two sons of the manager of Monmohinipur
tea estate under Dhekiajuli Police Station in the Sonitpur District
were abducted by suspected NDFB militants. Barun (9) and Karan
(12), sons of garden manager Pamminder Sehra, were on their way
to the Army School at Missamari, 10 kilometres from the tea estate,
when the abductors waylaid their car at around 6.30 am (IST).
The Dhekiajuli Police declined to comment on whether there was
any demand for ransom from any militant outfit. However, sources
in the tea industry said the NDFB had asked Monmohinipur tea estate
authorities to pay INR Two million in ransom.
A joint team of the Tinsukia and
Dibrugarh Police recovered explosives weighing around 1.5 kilograms
and 318 detonators from the Hahkati Kumsang reserve forest under
Kakopathar Police Station in Tinsukia District.
March 4
One MULTA militant, identified
as Akbar Ali, was arrested by the 21st Jat Regiment of Indian
Army from Char-Bidyapara area under Dhubri Police Station of Dhubri
District. Two crude bombs, each weighing five kilograms, were
recovered from his house.
March 6
Suspected BW militants killed
the parents of two of their former cadres, Gale Dimasa and Manjit
Phonglo, in two separate incidents in the North Cachar Hills District.
Both Gale and Manjit had reportedly deserted the outfit a week
earlier. The first incident was reported at Jaramdisa Thaijuary
under Doyangmukh Police Station where the BW cadres attacked the
residence of Gale Dimasa and shot his parent dead. The second
incident occurred in Prasadindik under Maibong Police Station
where militants attacked the residence of Manjit and killed his
parents.
A ULFA cadre, identified as Hiramal
Sarkar alias Anupam Gogoi, was shot dead by troops during
an encounter at Launriguri under Bijni Police Station in the Chirang
District.
March 7
The Army arrested a MULTA militant,
identified as Akramal Ali, from Kadamguri village under Gossaigaon
Police station in the Kokrajhar District. A revolver and two 9-mm
pistol bullets were recovered from his possession.
March 8
The BW militants shot dead one
Jogendra Langthasa (65), father of Ranendra Langthasa, a former
executive member of the same outfit, at Gunjung area of Haflong
in the North Cachar Hills District. Langthasa’s mother also sustained
bullet injuries in the incident.
A joint team of Army and Police
shot dead one ULFA militant, identified as ‘sergeant major’ Lolit
Bora alias Ajit Gogoi alias Ajala Kokai, near Balijan
Grant area in the Sivasagar District. A US-made revolver with
three bullets, a grenade, a mobile handset, and a notepad were
recovered from the possession of the slain militant.
The Guwahati city Police arrested
three BW militants, identified as Debojit Thousan, Biprojeet Langthasa
and Brojesh Tharsa, from unspecified locations in the city.
March 9
One ULFA militant, identified
as Tarun Thengal, surrendered before the Police in the headquarters
of Jorhat District.
Statesman quoting intelligence
sources reports that militants of different outfits operating
from the Indian soil, who are holed up in Bangladesh, are reportedly
shifting base towards Nepal and Bhutan. The report adds that such
movement could take place through North Bengal, increasing security
threats in the region prior to the Parliament elections. Outfits
like the KLO and the CPI-Maoist have been trying to build organisational
bases in Cooch Behar District and the adjoining areas. The recent
arrest of a suspected Maoist revealed their presence in these
parts.
March 10
SFs arrested one Islamist extremist, identified as Mohammad Samidh
(35), along with some explosives from Jalah in the Baksa District.
SFs arrested one AANLA militant, identified as Golap Gour, from
Bokoliaghat Shyampathar in the Karbi Anglong District.
The Police arrested a suspected person along with 10 rounds of
ammunition from Silongmoni under Nagaon Police Station of Nagaon
District. He was identified as Emu.
Militant outfits like the ULFA and KLO are reportedly on an extortion
drive in different villages of Dhubri District. These outfits
were demanding INR 50, 000 to INR 500, 000 from middle class business
men and servicemen residing in various villages under Golokganj
Police Station in Dhubri District bordering Bangladesh and West
Bengal.
March 11
Police recovered a hand grenade and some ammunition
from the house of one Abdul Milo, a resident of Islampattay in
the Golaghat District.
March 12
Army personnel arrested one ULFA militant, identified
as Bisaru Teli (40), at Mahmora Arabari under Mahmora Police Station
in the Dibrugarh District. 11 rounds of .303 live ammunition were
recovered from the house of the arrested militant.
March 13
KRA militants shot dead one civilian, identified
as Y. Robi Singh, in the Manja area of Karbi Anglong District.
The Police arrested one ULFA militant, identified
as Utpal Barman, from Noonmati area of Guwahati in the Kamrup
District.
One MULTA militant, identified as Nakul Ali, was
arrested by the Police from Kathonibari area under Thelamara Police
Station of Sonitpur District.
March 15
A bomb with a time device was recovered from a
tea stall at Kharupetia in the Darrang District. This was the
second such incident in which a bomb has been recovered in the
past two days, the Superintendent of Police Imtadul Haque said.
Another powerful bomb was recovered from Tezpur area on March
14, he added.
Police arrested three militants of the '27th Battalion'
of the ULFA from Baihata Chariali Police Station area in the Kamrup
District. They were identified as Badal Saikia, Ganesh Goswami
and Pradeep Kalita.
March 16
Unidentified militants abducted
one Fatima Naqvi (9), the daughter of Choibari tea estate manager
Sayeed Naqvi, along with one of the two drivers, identified as
Abdul Samad, while she was on her way to school in a private vehicle
from Nayekgaon Amguri under Kokrajhar District.
Police recovered a bomb from a
vegetable bag kept inside the Down 7062 passenger train, running
between Morkokgseleng and Rangia, at Jonai in the Dhemaji District.
SFs arrested two NDFB militants
from Milanpur area under Bebejia Police Station of Sonitpur District.
They were identified as Dilip Basumatary alias Dawkha (22) of
Batashipur area and Biswajit Patgiri (25) of Jorpukhuri under
Dhekiajuli Police station of Sonitpur District.
March 17
A group of four KLNLF militants
shot dead a local Congress party leader of Borkok Block, Joy Singh
Kro (40), at his residence at Bokok in the Karbi Anglong District.
Unidentified militants shot dead
a surrendered ULFA cadre, Nayanjyoti Roy, at the main market area
of Kokrajhar District.
A Police constable, Nirmal Deka,
was injured while an ULFA militant, Ganesh Sarma, was killed in
an encounter at Kurua village under Sipajhar Police Station in
the Darrang District.
15 people were injured when unidentified
militants hurled a grenade at a market at Uttar Borbil under Howraghat
Police Station in the Karbi Anglong District.
March 18
One Police constable, Nirmal Deka
(38), and a ULFA militant were killed in an exchange of fire between
the two sides at Kalitapara under the Sipajhar Police Station
in the Darrang District. Police recovered one 9-mm pistol, two
grenades, four mobile phones, four batteries, 13 rounds of live
ammunition and three books from the possession of the slain militant.
A civilian, Naba Basumatary, was
shot dead and two others were abducted by the KLNLF militants
at the Kafitoli stone quarry in Nagaon District.
One NSCN-IM militant was shot
dead by suspected cadres of the rival NSCN-K at Bor Lingri Tea
Estate under Karbi Anglong District. The slain militant was identified
as ‘Lance Corporal’ Rockyson Tangkhul (28), a resident of New
Tusom Village in the Ukhrul District of Manipur.
The KLNLF militants triggered
a powerful bomb explosion on a railway track in the Karbi Anglong
District targeting the Delhi-Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express. The incident
occurred five kilometres away from the Diphu town at 1.10am (IST).
However, no casualty was reported. The SFs later recovered another
powerful improvised explosive device from the tracks.
Two NDFB militants, identified
as Khumta Basumatari and Mithun Musahari, were arrested by the
SFs from Sonitpur District.
Eight NDFB militants surrendered
before the Golaghat District authorities.
The minor daughter of the manager
of Choibari tea estate in Dhubri District, who was abducted on
March 16, was released by her abductors at Bismuri area, about
30 kilometres from Choibari. The Inspector-General of Police,
A.K. Kashyap, said Fatima Naqvi, the nine-year old daughter of
Sayeed Naqvi, was "dropped off" at a village in Bismuri
area along the National Highway 31C. Meanwhile, the ‘Commander-in-Chief’
of the Birsa Commando Force, Birsingh Munda, denied allegations
of abducting the child and said his cadres were instead trying
to trace the girl.
March 19
Two unidentified BW militants
were shot dead by the Army personnel at Solpaithong in the Cachar
District. An AK-47 and an AK-56 rifle were recovered from the
slain militants.
March 21
Unidentified militants shot dead
two farmers and injured a 17-year-old youth when they were working
in a paddy field in an unspecified village of the North Cachar
Hills District.
March 22
SFs recovered a huge quantity
of explosives from the residence of one Mansher Ali, near an Army
garrison at Changsari in the Kamrup District. The team recovered
170 detonators, 67 electrically initiated detonators, 50 metres
of cordtex, 70 kilogram of ammonium nitrate and 15 kilograms of
other chemical material.
March 23
The SFs arrested one suspected militant belonging
to the tribal community, identified as Brijen Bakla, from Gossaigaon
area of Kokrajhar District.
March 24
Unidentified gunmen shot dead a senior journalist
and Executive Editor of the Assamese Daily Aji, Anil Mazumdar,
in front of his residence at Rajgarh area of the Guwahati city
in the Kamrup District. He had been writing in favour of the ULFA
coming for talks with the Government.
Unidentified militants shot dead a 54-year-old
villager and injured a 30-year-old youth at the Choto Ninglo village
under Mahur Police Station in the North Cachar Hills District.
One more youth has been missing since the incident happened.
One unidentified militant was killed by the SFs
at Longhai village under Harangajao Police Station. One Italy
made pistol with six rounds, five gelatin sticks, five detonator
and 300 meters of flexible wire and 20 pencil batteries were recovered
from his possession.
Seven labourers of a private company conducting
seismic survey at Na-kilo under Chapakhowa Police Station in the
Tinsukia District were injured in a firing by unidentified militants.
Suspected militants lobbed a hand grenade near
a construction site at Jorapukhri under Paneri Police Station
in the Udalguri District. However, no loss of life or property
was reported.
The Northeast Frontier Railway withdrew train
services from the Lumding-Silchar section after an unsuccessful
attempt by militants to blow up tracks in North Cachar Hills District.
March 25
The pro-talks ULFA leader, Robin Gogoi, and Luit
Boishya, a cloth merchant, were shot dead by suspected ULFA militants
at Kristhi Sangh playground in the Tinsukia District. According
to the Police, Boishya, who is from Nalbari, died on the spot
while Gogoi succumbed to injuries on the way to a hospital in
Tinsukia.
11 persons were injured in a grenade explosion
near the Kanaklata Civil Hospital in the Sonitpur District.
March 26
Two suspected extortionists shot at and wounded
a contractor, Binondo Deka, at Borpathar area under Goreswar Police
Station in the Baksa District.
In the 'D' sector of the Assam-Nagaland border,
continuous firing between cadres of the NSCN-IM and NSCN-U has
frightened the people of Doyalpur, Sarupani and other areas in
Merapani of Golaghat District.
Two NDFB militants were arrested by Police from
Jamuguri village in the Barpeta District. They were involved in
trafficking of illegal arms and extortion bids in several parts
of the District.
The Army personnel arrested three suspected militants
along with arms from Chakma village under Gossaigaon Police Station
in Kokrajhar District. One US made machine gun along with magazines
and other accessories were recovered from their possession. They
were later identified as Manoj Brahma, John Brahma and Budhi Ram
Brahma of the same area.
March 27
The SF personnel neutralised one KLNLF camp in
the forest area of Bargaon under Boithalangshu Police Station
of Karbi Anglong District and recovered a huge cache of arms and
ammunition.
Shillong Times reports that settlers who
are mainly outsiders engaged in farming, as well as daily wage
labourers and petty shopkeepers in the Karbi Anglong District
pay ransom thrice a year to different militant outfits, including
KLNLF, Dimasa National Liberation Front and Black Widow (BW).
The sum ranges from INR 5,000 to INR 50,000 depending upon the
economic condition of the person.
March 28
Suspected militants shot dead Laibala Langthasa
(55), mother of a BW militant, John Dimasa, at Vidingpur Dimasa
Basti under Maibong Police Station in the North Cachar Hills District.
Unidentified militants abducted Srichand Sethia,
a 75-year-old businessman, from North Bongaigaon of Kokrajhar
District.
March 29
The Morigaon Police arrested two woman ULFA militants,
identified as Jonali Deka and Devalata Handique, from Jorabat
area near Guwahati of Kamrup District.
SFs arrested one ULFA militant, identified as
Sankar Rajbongshi (30), from Anandapur village in the Baksa District.
Goreswar Police arrested one NDFB militant, identified
as Bibison Basumatary, of Chirang District. A hand-made bomb was
recovered from his possession.
March 30
Quoting Assam Police sources,
Assam Tribune has reported that a group of Islamist militants
had entered upper Assam with the help of local militants to disrupt
the parliamentary elections scheduled to be held in April 2009.
The Superintendent of Police of Dibrugarh, Abhijeet Bora, said
Islamist militants have entered upper Assam through Myanmar and
neighbouring Nagaland’s Mon District. ‘Bravo’ company of the ULFA
had possibly helped these militants enter the area as the ‘Alpha’
and ‘Charlie’ units of the outfit were on a cease-fire with the
Government, he added.
March 31
One person died while at least
nine others sustained injuries when an IED exploded in the Jyotikuchi
area under Gorchuk Police Station of Guwahati city in the Kamrup
District. The blast occurred two kilometers away from Lalmati
area, where the Union External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukerjee
was supposed to address a public gathering as a part of ruling
Congress party’s election campaign. Senior Superintendent of Police
P. C. Saloi said, "From the prima facie evidence, it appears
to be the handiwork of the banned ULFA".
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.
April 01
Businessman Srichand Sethia (75),
who had been abducted by unidentified militants from near the
Lower Asom Hospital in Bongaigaon of Kokrajhar District on March
29, was released by the abductors.
April 02
Assam Police arrested two BW militants,
identified as Brajen Hojai and Babul Kemprai, on the Assam-Meghalaya
border along with INR 10 million. Police sources said the duo
were going to hand over the money to members of an international
arms racket of Mizoram against which the militant group had already
received the consignment of weapons, which included over 60 rifles
of AK series. Police also recovered two foreign-made pistols,
of which one was licensed, from their possession. Brajen confessed
to Police and media that the money was brought by Kemprai from
the residence of Mohit Hojai, chief executive member of the Karbi
Anglong Autonomous Council.
Telegraph reports that
several Naga community organisations led by the Naga Hoho (apex
tribal council) strongly warned the BW militants to immediately
stop atrocities against the Naga people in the North Cachar Hills
District or face a backlash.
April 03
Police arrested two ULFA militants,
identified as Rakesh Thakuria (22) and Kamal Nayan Talukdar alias
Baba (27), from Basistha and Noonmati areas of Guwahati city respectively.
They were involved in the March 31 bomb blast at Jyotikuchi area
in Guwahati city. The Additional Superintendent of Police (City),
Debojit Deori, said the duo was also wanted in connection with
several other cases. "They were arrested based on the account
of the eyewitnesses of the Jyotikuchi blast," he said.
April 04
One MULTA militant, identified
as Akbar Ali, was arrested by the 21st Jat Regiment from his residence
at Char-Bidyapara under Dhubri Police Station of Dhubri District.
Two crude bombs, each weighing five kilograms were recovered from
his residence.
April 05
A joint team of the Army and Police
shot dead a self-styled ‘sergeant’ of the Ranjan Daimary faction
of the NDFB, identified as Phushow Brahma (25), in an encounter
at Number 1 Barkhapur under Rangapara Police Station in Sonitpur
District. While Brahma died on the spot, one of his companions
managed to escape. Five kilogram of improvised explosive device
and an automatic pistol were recovered from the encounter site.
Assam Tribune reports that
Police released photos of two ULFA militants who had entered Guwahati
city to carry out subversive activities ahead of the outfit’s
raising day on April 7. The two militants were identified as Manohar
Rajbangshi alias Son and Pradip Kalita alias Deep.
Manohar hails from Musalpur in Baksa District while Pradip is
from Nagaon District, the Additional Superintendent of Guwahati
City Police, Devajit Deuri, said. They belong to the ‘709th and
27th battalion’ of ULFA respectively.
April 06
Ten persons were killed and about
59 others injured in four explosions carried out by suspected
ULFA militants. The militants carried out three blasts and mounted
a grenade attack within five hours. The Director General of Police,
G.M. Srivastava, said seven people were killed and 56 injured
in a powerful blast in a crowded market in Guwahati’s Maligaon
area at around 2 pm (IST). The explosion sparked a fire that set
ablaze two cars and 20 motorcycles and spread to a three-storey
building housing the area police station. While six people were
killed at the blast site, one died of injuries after jumping from
an adjacent building which had caught fire. The bomb is suspected
to have been hidden in a car or a motorcycle parked adjacent to
the North-East Frontier Railway headquarters. "This is the
handiwork of ULFA boys ahead of the outfit’s Raising Day"
Srivastava said, adding the militants used hi-tech explosives.
A bomb was set off by unidentified
militants in the Santipur area near Bokajan in Karbi Anglong District
earlier in the day.
Suspected ULFA militants also
set off a bicycle bomb explosion at Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur District
later. Four people were injured, one of them seriously, in this
incident. According to an unconfirmed report, he later died of
his injuries.
In addition, an unidentified militant
lobbed a hand grenade at Mankachar Police station in Dhubri district,
killing a Police driver and injuring another.
Suspected NDFB militants shot
dead a couple at Monglojhora Besorkhona under Bogribari Police
Station in the Kokrajhar District. Militants intruded into the
house of Manik Chandra Brahma alias Musa and started firing
indiscriminately, killing Brahma and his wife Sonali on the spot.
Sources added that Brahma was a NDFB member who had surrendered
in March 2009.
Unidentified militants abducted
one businessman Satyanarayan Agarwala from Rowta area of Udalguri
District in the evening of the same day. This is the second such
case within a week.
April 07
Police and Army in a joint operation
arrested one ULFA militant, identified as Parimal Barman, and
six of its linkmen from Paglaghat under Tamarhat Police Station
area of Dhubri District in connection with the April 6 grenade
attack on a Police Station at Mankachar in the same District.
April 08
SFs shot dead one unidentified
ULFA militant at Bhuyakhati near Dalgaon in the Darrang District.
Some arms and ammunition were recovered from the possession of
the slain militant.
A convoy of the Election Commission’s
observers in North Cachar Hills District was ambushed by BW militants.
Police said that Central Election Observer Arun Chandra Singh
and his team were traveling in a five-vehicle convoy from District
headquarter Haflong to Umrangshu when militants hiding inside
the forest opened fire on the convoy at Jungum, about 20 kilometers
from Haflong. However, no one was injured and neither was the
vehicles damaged.
Police arrested two persons, identified
as Pulin Bora and Lakhiprasad Nath, from Dhekiajuli in the Sonitpur
District in connection with the April 6 bomb blast. Police sources
said both are surrendered ULFA cadres.
April 09
Two women cadres of ULFA, identified
as Debalata Handique and Jonali Deka, were arrested from an unspecified
area of Guwahati in the Kamrup District and remanded to three
days Police custody for their role the March 25 grenade attack
in front of the civil hospital in Tezpur.
Another ULFA militant, identified
as Jadav Bora, was arrested by the SFs from Amlaki Pait Gaon under
Jonai Police Station in the Dhemaji District.
Two KLNLF militants, identified
as Joken Terang and Ajit Pangcho, surrendered before the 16th
Battalion of the Border Security Force in Golaghat District.
April 10
One CRPF constable was killed
and 17 persons were injured when the BW militants opened indiscriminate
fire on the Badarpur-Lumding Barak Express train in North Cachar
Hills District. The attack occurred near Wadrengdisha between
Haflong and Maibong railway stations, 30 kilometres from the District
headquarters Haflong. The slain paramilitary personnel was identified
as A.K. Tiwari of the 144th battalion of the CRPF.
Hargovinda Nath, one of the main
accused of the Maligaon bomb blast of April 6, was arrested. According
to Police, Hargovinda had met Manohari Rajbongshi, the mastermind
of the Maligaon blast, barely a few hours before the blast occurred.
Police sources said Hargovinda had planted the bicycle bomb at
the behest of Manohari Rajbongshi. Hargovinda, who hails from
Dolashal area under Nalbari District, is a resident of Maligaon
area and was working with a private company based in Fancy Bazaar,
Police sources added.
The Mankachar Police arrested
five more persons in connection with the grenade blast at Mankachar
Police Station on April 6. Four of the arrested persons who were
suspected to have maintained links with the ULFA were identified
as Kamini Koch, Mithun Koch, Kamal Koch and Mokmol Koch. All of
them hail from Gopalpur village under Mankachar Police Station
in Dhubri District.
April 11
Two Special Police Officers (SPOs),
identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector Lalit Borgohain and Constable
Biseswar Bora, were killed and another was injured when the BW
militants attacked a goods train at Dijaodra under Langting Police
Station in North Cachar Hills District. Police sources said the
train carrying essential commodities from Lumding to Badarpur
was targeted by the militants between Disaubra and Langting, around
20 kilometers from the Lumding station.
Police recovered two IEDs, one
concealed inside a football weighing around 10 kilograms and the
other inside a steel container weighing around three kilograms,
from the house of one Babul Das under Basistha Police Station
of Guwahati. Police sources said Babul Das had been arrested once
earlier for suspected links with the banned ULFA.
An IED, weighing four kilograms,
was also recovered by the SFs from a house at Patharighat under
Sipajhar Police Station of Guwahati in Kamrup District.
April 12
BW militants attacked the RPF
personnel guarding railway property in the North Cachar Hills
District. Official sources said the militants attacked RPF personnel
guarding the Dautohaja station under Mahur Police Station. The
RPF personnel along with Army personnel who were inside the station
retaliated and an encounter followed but the militants managed
to escape. No loss of life or damage to the property was reported.
The Kamrup Express that left Howrah
on April 11 was caught in two explosions near Diphu in Karbi Anglong
District. According to preliminary reports, no loss of life or
damage to property was reported.
April 13
Two NDFB militants shot dead a
trader, identified as Prakash Hazarika, at Gohpur area in Sonitpur
District. The Police confirmed it is a case of extortion as the
NDFB had served an extortion note of INR one million to Hazarika.
Several Border Security Force
personnel had a narrow escape when a bomb planted by KLNLF militants
went off just after their vehicle passed Mandalgaon Dolamora in
Karbi Anglong District.
April 14
Police arrested one Ramlal Gupta,
a NDFB linkman, from Dhekiajuli town of Sonitpur District.
April 15
The dead body of a National Democratic
Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militant, identified as B Onsula alias
Arjun Narzary (23) of Belguri under Serfanguri Police Station,
was recovered by Police at Swrunanga river bank in the Kokrajhar
District. The dead body had a cut mark at the throat and its head
crushed. According to sources, Onsula and his associate, Bijya
Basumatary (24) of Podmabil, came home from the Serfanguri designated
camp of the outfit on April 14 while the BPF youths chased them
and took them away. The body of Bijay Basumatary was recovered
from Swrunanga river bank.
April 16
One Gautam Deka (25), a resident
of Guya under Kamalpur subdivision in Kamrup District, became
the 10th victim of the April 6 Maligaon bomb blast
as he succumbed to his injuries at the Guwahati Medical College
and Hospital.
The KLNLF militants opened fire
at a polling booth in Karbi Anglong District. According to Police
sources, the militants fired at a polling booth in Perkup on the
Karbi Anglong-Nagaon border. They managed to escape when SF personnel
retaliated. However, no loss of life or injury was reported.
The SFs recovered an improvised
explosive device near a polling station at Disobai under Bokolia
Police Station in the morning prior to the commencement of polling
at 7am (IST).
Two NDFB linkmen, identified as
Sailen Hasong and Moqbul Mondal, were arrested from Lakhipur in
the Goalpara District. The Army recovered seven gelatin sticks
and 44 detonators with wires from Sailen Hasong while one Chinese
hand grenade, nine gelatin sticks, six detonators and two kilogram
of explosives were recovered from Moqbul Mondal.
An estimated 60 to 65 per cent
votes were cast in the first phase of polling for the three Lok
Sabha constituencies of Assam - Silchar, Karimganj and Autonomous
District - that went to the polls on April 16. Polling was by
and large peaceful in the two hill districts of Karbi Anglong
and North Cachar under the Autonomous District constituency.
April 17
Two BSF personnel, Constable Darbar
Singh and Constable Hari Narayan, were injured when the KLNLF
militants triggered twin blasts near Jampar Hansa village under
Borpathar Police Station in Karbi Anglong District. The Bokajan
Sub-Divisional Police Officer Chitren Gogoi said the BSF personnel
were on their way to Borlaguri, Borlong and Arlongati to escort
a team of election officials back to Bokajan, which is about 105
kilometers from the three polling booths and nearly 75 kilometers
from the blast site. The KLNLF militants laid an ambush in the
area with one IED planted on a tree and the other on the dirt
track the BSF personnel were travelling on, he added.
The Dhekiajuli Police arrested
three NDFB militants from the residence of one Joshep Rava in
Pirakota village in Sonitpur District. The trio was identified
as Ranjeet Rava, Govinda Rava and Amrit Swargiary.
April 18
NDFB militants abducted a businessman,
identified as Mohammad Chabin Ansari, from Gormara village in
the Dhekiajuli town of Sonitpur District.
In a joint operation, Assam Rifles
troopers along with the Udalguri and Orang Police arrested four
ULFA linkmen from two different areas of Udalguri District. Phuleswar
Nath and Dulal Nath were arrested from Goraimari village while
Pranab Nath and Satyajeet Nath were arrested from Bagalibari village
under Majbat Police Station.
April 19
One Railway Protection Security
Force (RPSF) trooper, identified as Constable Atul Kumar, and
a porter, Ranjit Kumar Kanujia, sustained injuries when unidentified
militants attacked the RPSF camp near Harangajao railway station
in North Cachar Hills District.
April 20
BW militants shot dead six persons, including
five SF personnel, in an ambush on the convoy of a private cement
company's vehicles in the North Cachar Hills District. The militants
ambushed the 20-truck convoy of Vinay Cement Company at Panimur
Kalanala under Doyangmukh Police station, near the industrial
town of Umrangsu and 170 kilometres from the Haflong, the District
headquarters of North Cachar Hills District. A Police official
said militants fired only on the two trucks in which personnel
of 16th IRB were escorting the company's employees from Lanka
to Umrangsu. The militants later fled into the jungles taking
with them five guns of the IRB personnel, he added. The Superintendent
of Police in North Cachar Hills District, Mridulananda Sarma,
said there were nine IRB personnel in the convoy of whom five
were killed. The sixth was the driver of a truck in the convoy.
The Army killed five militants, including an accused
in the Dhekiajuli blast of April 15, during an encounter at Aka
Basti in the Sonitpur District. Out of the five militants, Prabhat
Basumatary, Krishna Basumatary and Deithang Basumatary belonged
to the NDFB while Babul Ali and Yunis Ali were of the MULTA. Defence
spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said the militants were planning
to abduct a businessman, Paras Gurung, of Lokhra area in the same
district. The army said Prabhat Basumatary was a known operative
of Pakistan's ISI and a key perpetrator in the bomb blast at Dhekiajuli.
The army recovered five 9-mm pistols, a Chinese hand grenade,
five kilograms of explosives, 10 detonators and 107 rounds of
AK-47 ammunition from the encounter site. Another army official
said, "We had information about the Ranjan Daimary faction of
the NDFB working hand-in-hand with Muslim fundamentalist groups."
The Police, however, said the slain persons had
no links with militant groups but were a gang of dacoits. An unnamed
senior Police official said, "Prabhat Basumatary is a dreaded
dacoit arrested several times earlier. He has no links with the
NDFB or the Dhekiajuli blast. The blast was carried out by ULFA."
April 21
SFs recovered a five kilogram bomb from the Balipukhuri
area under Dhekiajuli Police station in Sonitpur District.
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.
Three MULTA militants, identified as Jehirul Islam
(26), Sahabuddin Ali (26), and Harmus Ali (25) of Nagaon District,
were arrested at Rajapathar in the Karbi Anglong District.
Police arrested three ULFA linkmen for their alleged
involvement in the bomb blast at Jyotikuchi in the Maligaon area
of Guwahati city in Kamrup District. Police sources said the trio,
identified as Kandarpa Das, Sanjay Thakuria and Gautam Thakuria
were arrested from Musalpur in the Baksa District.
April 22
The dead body of Paresh Ray, a BPF activist, who
was abducted by suspected NDFB militants on April 6 from Patgaon
area, was recovered by the Police from Bashbari under Bismuri
outpost in the Kokrajhar District.
A joint team of the Police and the Army arrested
Subil Borgohain, a 'sergeant major' belonging to the 'B' Company
of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), from Mahmora Ali
near Namrup Police station in Dibrugarh District. One AK-56 rifle,
44 rounds of live ammunition and some incriminating documents
were recovered from his possession.
April 23
Two SF personnel were killed and seven others
injured when militants attacked the SFs at two different places
in the North Cachar Hills District. Sub-Inspector of the SSB,
Bhopal Singh, died on the spot and Constable Dinesh Singha was
injured when unidentified militants ambushed their vehicle at
Wardingsa under Maibong Police Station. Four civilians travelling
in the truck also sustained injuries. In another incident, one
Army personnel, Sanajy Singh, was killed and two Army officers
were injured during an encounter with the BW militants at Langting
town in the same District.
An estimated 62 per cent votes were cast in the
second phase of elections for the 11 parliamentary constituencies
of Assam. The Chief Electoral Officer of Assam, Hemanta Narzary,
said 64.64 percent of the voters exercised their franchise in
Dhubri constituency, 65.30 percent of the voters cast their votes
in Kokrajhar constituency, 62.70 percent in Barpeta, 60.02 percent
in Mangaldoi, 62.87 percent in Tezpur, 63.22 percent in Nagaon,
63.42 percent in Kaliabor, 59.76 percent in Jorhat, 62.88 percent
in Dibrugarh and 61 percent in Lakhimpur constituency. Only 56.20
percent of the voters exercised their franchise in Guwahati constituency.
Polling was by and large peaceful except in Goalpara District
where the District General Secretary of the Assam United Democratic
Front, Ganesh Hazarika, was hacked to death by unidentified miscreants,
while the body of one Asom Gana Parishad worker Jadab Das was
recovered from the Hariamukh area. However, Police did not confirm
whether they were victims of poll-related violence or not. There
have been reports of clashes between the supporters of Bodoland
People's Front and Bodoland People's Progressive Front in some
parts of Kokrajhar District.
April 24
A relative of a BPPF party leader was killed and
an ABSU leader injured during clashes between BPF and BPPF activists
in Kokrajhar District. The clashes took place after the BPF leaders
accused their rivals of masterminding the ambush carried out by
the NDFB militants on them.
April 26
Three SF personnel were injured when suspected
BW militants ambushed the ration-loaded relief trains at two separate
incidents in North Cachar Hills. Police said at least a dozen
BW militants, hiding atop the Barail range, fired at the engine
and brake-van of the relief train between the Mahur and Migrengdisa
railway stations in North Cachar Hills. When the SF personnel
on board retaliated, the militants ran away. The ambush site is
about 92 kilometers from Lumding. The other relief train was attacked
at Bagetar, 74 kilometres from the Badarpur station in the same
District. There was no report of casualties in this incident.
Five NDFB militants, identified as Ranjit Rabha,
Amit Swargyary, Gobinda Boro, Ramlal Gupta and Bijay Das, were
arrested in a search operation conducted by the SFs in Batachipur
area under Dhekiajuli Police station of Sonitpur District. Four
9-mm pistols and some ammunition were recovered from their possession.
April 27
Suspected ULFA militants shot dead a pro-talks
cadre of the outfit, Hitesh Rabha (28), at Khaldang village under
Krishnai Police station in Goalpara District. Police sources said
a group of four ULFA militants shot Rabha from close range when
he came out of his house after dinner. Rabha was with ULFA's 709th
battalion before he came over-ground. This is the second major
attack by suspected ULFA militants on the pro-talks group within
a month.
SFs neutralized a locally-made pistol factory
run by the MULTA at Kathandi area under Bilasipara Police station
of Dhubri District. Five MULTA cadres were also arrested and a
large number of tools along with one locally-made pistol and seven
rounds of ammunition were recovered. The arrested militants were
identified as Abu Bakar Mondal, Abdul Ahmed Mondal, Saher Ali,
Jahangir Ali and Hasan Ali. All four are from Kathandi area in
Bilasipara and the other is from Jaleswar of Kokrajhar.
SFs arrested two ULFA militants from Dekargaon
area under Serfunguri Police station in Kokrajhar District.
An NDFB militant, identified as Zawongser Boro,
was arrested by the Army personnel at Balijuri village under Sootea
Police station in Sonitpur District. Two hand grenades and one
receipt book of money demand were recovered from his possession.
April 28
Three women were killed and more
than seven villagers were injured when a group of unidentified
militants, numbering 15 to 20, opened indiscriminate fire on a
Dimasa village, Yeah, under Maibang Police Station in North Cachar
Hills District.
Two ULFA militants were shot dead
in an encounter with the SF personnel at Sripurdeor Haribangha
under Mushalpur Police station in Baksa District.
Police recovered a cache of arms
and ammunition from a pit near Dishang River at Santipur village
in Dibrugarh District. The seizure included one rifle, 29 rounds
of ammunition, one improvised explosive device and one pouch.
The Assam Government has initiated
action against a leading tea company for aiding a militant outfit
and also taken action against Government officials accused of
diverting development funds to the militants.
April 29
Violence between the Zeliangrong
community and Cacharis in North Cachar Hills District continued
for the second day which had claimed 10 lives and 16 others sustained
injuries. The clashes between the two communities of Zeme sub-tribe
of Zeliangrong and the Cacharis (Dimasas) started after suspected
BW militants killed nine persons of the Zemes sub-tribe of the
Zeliangrong community on April 28. Later, suspected Zeliangrong
militants retaliated and attacked a Dimasa village. The sources
said that the Zeliangrong Chabuan have set ablaze 25 houses of
Yekulua village between Boreneu and Guilong of Haflong in North
Cachar Hills District. Before setting ablaze the 25 houses, the
two communities exchanged gunfire and 10 Dimasas were killed and
16 others wounded. Meanwhile, Telegraph quoting Police sources
said there the role of a third player, most probably of the NSCN-IM,
was also being suspected.
SFs shot dead two NDFB militants
at Balukjhora under Kokrajhar Police station. The slain militants
were identified as Simang Basumatary alias Simasu (23), of Manikpur
(Bismuri) in Kokrajhar District and Chandan Basumatary alias Saikhong
(24), of Bengtol in Chirang District. Two Italy-made 9mm pistols,
three grenades, some ammunition and two mobile phones were recovered
from their possession.
A schoolteacher, Bisbushan Narzary,
was shot at in Tulsibil under Gossaigaon Police. Sources said
motorbike-borne unidentified militants shot at Narzary when he
was going to Tulsibil Middle English School.
A convoy of the North Cachar Hills
District Deputy Commissioner of Police and Deputy Inspector General
of Police was ambushed by unidentified militants between Iyabasti
and Thumpabasti in the North Cachar Hills District. However, no
loss of life or injury was reported. Several ruling Congress party
leaders were also stated to be in the convoy.
A camp of the ULFA was neutralised
and a cache of arms and ammunition recovered by the Army at Salna
in Nagaon District.
April 30
Matung Taching, a businessman
of Sonitpur District and an Asom Gana Parishad leader, who informed
the Police about an INR 500000 extortion note served on him by
the banned NDFB, survived an attempt on his life. He was shot
in the legs by unidentified militants at his home in the Chariduar
area under Rangapara Police station. The militants fled when they
were challenged by the Personal Security Officer on duty. Taching
is also the younger brother of Hemu Techi, a sitting Member of
Legislative Assembly representing 12 Pakke-Kesang in the State
of Arunachal Pradesh.
Three unidentified NDFB militants
were arrested following an encounter with the SFs at Bangalduba
area of the Chirang District.
Assam Police arrested three persons
- two surrendered NDFB cadres and another cadre of a cease-fire
group of the outfit - from Salguri village under Salakati outpost
in Kokrajhar District. The trio were identified as Krishna Brahma,
his brother Sumen Brahma and Ranjan Wary of Dologaon. Police sources
said they came to Salguri village with the motive of extortion.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA) directed the Assam Government to re-start train operations
in the vulnerable sections, besides working out a strategy to
launch a fresh counter insurgency operation under the aegis of
the Unified Command. At a high-level meeting chaired by Union
Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, the MHA expressed concern at the
deteriorating situation in the hill districts of Assam. Gupta
convened a meeting in New Delhi to discuss in detail the security
situation in Assam, especially in North Cachar Hills District,
which has witnessed some violence recently, said an official spokesman
of the MHA. Assam Chief Secretary, P. C. Sarma, Assam Home Commissioner,
Subash Das, the Assam Director General of Police (DGP), G. M.
Srivastav, and the Director General of Railway Protection Force
and senior officers of the Army and the Railway Board attended
the meeting.
Assam Police have prepared a list
of organisations, including Non-governmental Organisations, which
are allegedly providing financial support to the ULFA, especially
its ‘709 battalion’. A senior Police official said, "Most of these
organisations have their operations in lower Assam. They have
been paying to the ULFA in recent times. We have the names of
a few such agencies and are investigating their credentials. We
will go after them once we have a watertight case." The names
of these organisations were found in a diary recovered from a
spot at Kolaigaon in Udalguri District early in April 2009 where
ULFA leader Akash Thapa had a narrow escape, he added.
In its first report to the State
Government, the Assam Police Accountability Commission has observed
that accountability on the part of the Police personnel has been
on the wane in the State due to various reasons, including political
pressure. The Commission has therefore recommended the Government
to make its Police force accountable, and to begin with, it said
the accountability on the part of the DGP has to be ensured. The
Commission has further recommended that, if need be, the lifestyle
of a section of police officials should be kept under the scanner.
The Commission submitted its first report for the period from
February 2008 to February 2009 to the Government.
May 01
A woman, identified as Ratna Devi,
was injured in a grenade explosion at Sagar Hotel in the Manja
town of Karbi Anglong District.
May 03
The assistant manager of Kukicherra
Sub Tea Garden under the Dhalai Tea Garden in Hailakandi District,
Anil Trigun, and his bodyguard, Manoj Kumar, were shot dead by
unidentified militants. Police said some unidentified militants
opened fire on them at Kukicherra, about 40 kilometres from the
Hailakandi town.
An unidentified ULFA militant
was killed while another was wounded in an encounter with a joint
team of the Police, Central Reserve Police Force and Army at Biyakorowa
village under Merapani Police station in the Golaghat District.
Two persons, including an NDFB
militant, were injured in Police firing at Ramdeo under Gossaigaon
Police station in the Kokrajhar District. Two motorcycle borne
NDFB militants abducted Labda Mushahary (30), a trader of timber
wood of Ballamjhora village under Sapkata Police outpost. When
they noticed a Police team led by Kokrajhar Superintendent Police
P. K. Dutta at Ramdeo, they tried to escape. Police opened fire
at them following which Labda Mushahary sustained injuries on
his leg. One of the NDFB militants, Gerema, was also injured,
while another NDFB cadre, Sanjay Narzary, reportedly managed to
escape from the incident site.
An assistant driver of the Dimapur
BG Express sustained injuries when an improvised explosive device
exploded on the railway track near Diphu railway station in Karbi
Anglong District.
One militant belonging
to the '709th battalion' of the ULFA, identified as Bubul Ali
alias Bubuli, was assaulted by people at Madhupur village under
Belsor Police station in Nalbari District, when he came to the
residence of one Dildar Hussain, an employee of the veterinary
department, to collect extortion money as demanded earlier. The
other militant waiting on the road managed to escape. Later, the
public handed over the militant to the Police in a critical condition.
The Police later recovered a Chinese pistol, a magazine, a hand
grenade and some incriminating documents. Bubul Ali was earlier
arrested by SFs at Tura in Meghalaya in 2006. After coming out
of jail, Bubul had rejoined the outfit.
May 4
Three NDFB militants, identified
as Pankaj Hansary, Jangson Narjay and Kamal Dasa, were arrested
from Joimoti Pathar area in Tezpur District.
Niranjan Sarcar, an employee of a construction
firm MK Engineers at West Maligaon in Guwahati, was abducted by
unidentified militants from Belsiri camp under Dhekiajuli revenue
circle of Sonitpur District. The firm was engaged in railway bridge
construction from Dhekiajuli railway station to New Missamari
railway station.
During a search operation at Jaimati Pathar area
of Tezpur District, Police arrested two suspected NDFB militants,
identified as Pankaj Hainary (21) of Ghoramari fallinig under
Chalonibari Police outpost and Jongsar Narjary (22) of Golaghat
District, and one NSCN-IM linkman, identified as Kamal Das of
Sorbhog of Barpeta District.
May 5
Two SF personnel were killed and two others injured
when suspected militants of an unidentified Naga outfit ambushed
a convoy of the CRPF and Assam Police personnel at Baghjaan in
Karbi Anglong District, who were escorting private vehicles passing
through Assam-Nagaland border in Karbi Anglong District. Two slain
SF personnel were identified as Rajesh Kumar of the CRPF and Lakhi
Prasad Deuri of Assam Police. "We have found evidence of the involvement
of Naga militants in the ambush," a senior Police official in
Karbi Anglong said.
May 6
A major camp of the KLNLF was neutralised by the
Army in Karbi Anglong District. A huge cache of arms was recovered.
However, all the 30 to 40 militants in the camp managed to escape
prior to the arrival of the SFs.
The Assam Police arrested five BW militants from
different areas of the Guwahati city in Kamrup District.
SFs recovered one IED weighing 8 kilograms from
the residence of a person, Osman Gani S.K., at Hasrabari village
under Gossaigaon Police Station in Kokrajhar District.
Two cadres of unidentified Islamist militant outfits,
identified as Usman Sheikh (37) and Dorman Ali (30), were arrested
by the Army at Sapkota under Gossaigaon Police station of Kokrajhar
District. Eight kilograms of improvised explosive devices were
recovered from their possession.
May 7
Two unidentified ULFA militants were shot dead
by Police during an encounter at Beganabari in Sivasagar District.
Police recovered a universal machine gun, one AK-56 rifle and
several rounds of live ammunition from the encounter site.
Black Widow militants blew up a goods train at
a place between Diaojabra and Langting railway stations in North
Cachar Hills District in the morning. The train was on its way
to Badarpur from Lumding. Reports indicated that there were two
"blasts on the tracks followed by firing by militants". Ten wagons
of the train derailed and one soldier and a few railway staff
sustained minor injuries in the incident. The deputy 'commander-in-chief'
of the BW, Daniel Dimasa, called up journalists claiming responsibility
for the attack.
Baithalangso Police recovered four guns from Dalimbari
Phangcho Gaon in Karbi Anglong District. Police arrested two persons,
identified as Sarpo Terang and Basong Terang, in this connection.
A combined force of the Army and Dhemaji District
Police arrested a self-styled 'sergeant major' of the NSCN-IM,
identified as Yomjum Gongo, during a search operation at Lakhipathar
in Dhemaji District bordering Arunachal Pradesh in the night.
One M20 pistol was recovered from his possession.
Two cadres of the Muslim Fundamentalist Organization
(MFO), identified as Saheed Ali (35) and Moifuzddin (20), were
arrested by troops based at Lakhipur from Taltola and Goalpara
respectively. Four pistols, one gun, 10 rounds of live ammunition
and a huge quantity of explosives were recovered from them.
Army arrested a suspected PREPAK militant, identified
as Binod Kumar Neimapukapon (36), from Rongpur area of Silchar
in Cachar District. He was arrested from a house at Rongpur where
he was staying for the last one and a half year. Binod Kumar is
originally a resident of Bishnupur in Manipur.
Two ULFA militants, who were shot dead in an encounter
at Beganabari in Sivasagar District, were identified as Jitu Changmai
and Linton Ingti. Jitu hails from Sivasagar District while Linton
is from Tinsukia District.
May 8
Unidentified militants shot at a person and set
ablaze 14 houses in Jorai Basti of North Cachar Hills District.
Villagers later informed Police that a group of unidentified militants
came to Jorai Basti around 4.30am (IST) and started setting the
houses on fire. When the panic-stricken residents rushed out of
their homes, the attackers opened indiscriminate fire, injuring
a 55-year-old farmer, Nindau Langthasa, who was later rescued
by a team of Police. This is the third such attack on villagers
in North Cachar Hills District in the past five weeks.
The Police arrested one ULFA militant, identified
as Arup Deka (20), from Ganeshpara area of Guwahati in Kamrup
District. The Police said Deka, who hails from Musalpur in Baksa
District, is a cadre belonging to '709 battalion' of the ULFA,
and suspected to be involved in several subversive activities
including the blast at Jyotikuchi.
SFs recovered one single barrel gun with 11 rounds
of cartridge, AK-47 ammunition of 22 rounds and 1 to 2 kilogram
explosives buried inside a drain at Achabam Tea Estate under the
Namrup Police Station in Dibrugarh District.
May 9
Three villagers were shot dead in an attack by
unidentified militants in an interior village, 40 kilometres from
Haflong in the North Cachar Hills District.
Ratan Kumar Roy, a doctor who was kidnapped by
suspected NDFB militants from his chamber on May 5, was released
near Chapaguri in Chirang District. The Officer-in-Charge of Bijni
Police Station, Pradeep Kumar Boro, said "Under mounting pressure
from security forces, the militants found it difficult to keep
him in captivity." However, Roy said a group of militants had
taken him to attend to their ailing members and released him around
8pm (IST) at a village near Chapaguri.
May 10
SFs shot dead one unidentified KLNLF militant
in an encounter near Tengralangso in the Karbi Anglong District.
A group of NDFB militants shot at two persons,
identified as Ranjit Musahary, a surrendered NDFB cadre and Gossaigaon
Youth Bodo People Front (YBPF) member Nirmal Narzary, at Jaraguri
under Gossaigaon Police Station in Kokrajhar District. Police
later recovered the bike and an empty cartridge of 9 mm pistol
from the spot.
Police arrested an advocate, Gobinda Nath, from
his residence at Gopal Bazaar in Nalbari town, based on the confession
of a ULFA cadre, Manoj Sharma. Sharma, who is a cadre of the '709
battalion' of the ULFA, was arrested earlier. Police sources said
Sharma, who hails from Baihata in Kamrup District, had gone to
Nalbari to collect cash from the advocate.
Condemning the recent incidents of violence in
strife-torn North Cachar Hills District, Chief Minister Tarun
Gogoi asked the law-enforcing agencies and the Army to start joint
operations against the groups involved in the violence, reports
Sentinel. He said all-out efforts would be made to restore normalcy
in the hills district. "The government will leave no stone unturned
to bring the situation under control and the culprits behind the
incidents would be brought to book," he said. Gogoi further said
compensation would be given by the Government to the next of kin
as well as for the injured. Rehabilitation would also be provided
to who lost their belongings in the violence, he said.
May 11
Unidentified militants shot dead
at least three persons, abducted another and set ablaze over 90
houses belonging to the Zemi Naga tribe at Gailung village in
North Cachar Hills District. Police sources said militants attacked
the village under Maibang Police Station with automatic weapons,
killing at least three persons. An official source added that
suspected militants attacked the Hindu Basti and Christain Basti
at remote Guilung village and Jalwa village and set ablaze 90
houses. President of the Indigenous People’s Forum, Josiaf Zemi,
alleged lack of security in the area and stated that if such attacks
continued, the tribal people would not be able to till their fields
this season and that would lead to starvation later in the year.
The NDFB militants shot dead two
civilians in separate incidents at two different places under
Dhekiajuli area of Sonitpur District. The first incident occurred
at Sarsabari in Batasipur area where Bineswar Basumatari (35)
was shot dead by the NDFB militants in his residence at No. 3
Sibpur village. Bineswar’s brother Janak Basumatary was a surrendered
NDFB militant. In another incident, three NDFB militants shot
dead Label Bodo (45) of Belsiri area at Sessabil under Missamari
Police Station.
A seven-year-old boy died in a
grenade blast at Sarukuchijhar village under Barama Police Station
in Baksa District after he brought the Austrian grenade home thinking
it to be a fruit and tried to crack it open like a tamul (betel
nut) with a knife. The explosion also injured his mother Sarala
(30), his grandmother Bibari (55), sister Rupa (10) and brother
Maneswar (5) and blew up a part of their home. "We suspect
the rebels might have hidden the Austrian grenade, as ULFA and
the NDFB are known to use such grenades. Moreover, these two militant
groups are also active in that area," an unnamed Police Official
said.
An exchange of fire between Police
and NDFB militants occurred near Monibag area in Sonitpur District.
Security Forces exchanged fire
with a group of suspected NDFB militants at Ghasbari in Kamrup
District.
The Army arrested one PULF linkman,
Mohammed Imamuddin Chowdhury (30), from his Badripar residence
at Silchar in the Cachar District.
Unidentified militants abducted
the chief engineer of a Guwahati-based company, Kankan Gogoi (54),
and the driver of his vehicle, Prafulla Nath (29), from Vaicherra
area in Hailakandi District along the Assam-Mizoram border. Police
sources said Gogoi had gone to Vaicherra to check the progress
of the construction of a road on the National Highway 154 between
Dhaleswari in Hailakandi District and Bairabhi in the Kolosib
District of Mizoram. The United Democratic Liberation Army, an
armed group of Reang tribals and local Muslims led by Dhanyaram
Reang, is suspected to be behind the abduction.
May 12
Police shot dead an unidentified
ULFA militant in an encounter at Solmari under Baihata Chariali
Police Station in the Kamrup District. While Police recovered
one 9-mm pistol from the possession of the slain militant, two
other militants managed to escape. Police sources said a group
of three ULFA militants were taking shelter in the area with a
view to collect funds for their outfit.
CRPF personnel arrested Lambujoy
Reang, second in command of the United Democratic Liberation Army,
from Gutguti in Hailakandi District along the Assam-Mizoram border.
Dibrugarh District Police arrested
a suspected ULFA linkman, Pankaj Baruah, from Mirihola village
under Moran Police Station on charges of extortion. According
to Police sources, Bapu Jewelers had received an extortion demand
of INR 500000, reportedly from Dennis Sonowal, a member of the
‘Bravo Company’ of ULFA. The matter was reported to the Police
and a trap was laid and Pankaj Barua who had arrived at the spot
to collect the demanded amount was caught.
May 13
One Assam Rifles soldier, Kamal
Dogra, was shot dead when the BW militants ambushed a joint patrol
team of the Army and Assam Rifles at Gunjung in the North Cachar
Hills District.
The movement of two goods trains
on the Lumding-Badarpur route was stopped following an attack
by unidentified militants. Railway sources informed that militants
removed the fish plate and rail clip of a goods train between
Dihakhu and Langping stations in North Cachar Hill District.
SFs arrested eight Adivasi Cobra
Force militants from Sialmari in Kokrajhar District. An AK-series
rifle, two bows with 25 arrows, three kukris and two axes were
recovered from their possession.
May 14
One Laxman Saha (47), a grocery
shop owner, was abducted by unidentified militants from Hatidura
market under Tamarhat Police Station in the Kokrajhar District.
SFs arrested three MULTA cadres,
identified as Rabiul sheikh (22), Habizur Rahman (22) and Zakaria
Sarkar (18) from Kumarganj marketin Kokrajhar District.
Police arrested one Richard Tirkey,
an AANLA militant, from Bokajan of Karbi Anglong District.
Dispur city Police arrested two
private security guards of a residential apartment in Chandmari
area of Guwahati city for extorting money for ULFA. Police said
the accused were identified as Amitabh Boro (27) from Sipajhar
in Darrang District and Dibakar Rajbongshi (32) from Rangia in
Kamrup District. The Police said the accused had made extortion
calls to some persons in the name of Hira Sarania, the ‘commander’’
of the ‘709 battalion’ of ULFA.
May 15
Unidentified gunmen shot dead
Chabin Muchahary alias M Siphung, a ‘sergeant major’ of
the NDFB in Baksa District. The slain militant belonged to the
designated camp at Barbari. Police sources said the assailants
came riding a motor cycle and one of them opened fire from his
9-mm pistol targeting Muchahary, who was sitting in the Barbari
weekly market. Six empty cartridges of 9 mm pistol were recovered
by the Police from the incident site.
The troops arrested one self-styled
‘Sergeant Major’ of the ULFA, Achyut Sarma alias Deepak
Deka alias Noor, from Hazarikapara village under Sipajhar
Police Station in Darrang District.
May 16
DHD militants shot dead one person,
Paunamteutuing, at Asongram village in the North Cachar Hills
District. Sources said the militants who were holed up in the
second floor of the State Bank of India’s Mahur branch fired upon
the Zeliangrong villagers who went to retrieve the corpse of Paunamteutuing
in the next-day morning. However, there was no report of any casualty.
SFs recovered one handmade revolver
and one 303 live ammunition from the possession of one Habizur
Rahman (30) from the Kumarganj bazaar under Tamarhat Police Station
in Kokrajhar District.
May 18
Three employees of a private construction undertaking
Inter Continental Construction and Techno Company, which is engaged
in the East-West corridor project, were abducted by a group of
suspected armed militants of the BW from a secluded portion of
the Lumding-Haflong Road at Mupa village in North Cachar Hills
District. The three employees were identified as K.P. Dutta Roy,
Tarun Behera and Benikanta Kalita. According to the report, the
three employees were on their way to Haflong from Lumding when
their vehicle was intercepted by a group of six armed militants
at Mupa.
Police sources revealed that KLNLF chairman Pradeep
Terong alias Pongbi Dilli, who was arrested from Lumpyngngad in
Meghalaya on April 13, had planned to form a group on the lines
of ULFA-constituted People's Consultative Group (PCG) comprising
Karbi literary, religious and other influential persons. According
to the Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) B. L. Buam,
Dili visited Shillong in Meghalaya to form an over ground body
of the outfit with religious leaders, students and literalists
and that he had already held a meeting with some people on the
matter. The rebel leader considered Shillong as a safe place to
organise such a meeting as the religious leaders, students and
literalists concerned were not ready to meet in Karbi Anglong
or North Cachar Hills fearing Police action. "We are investigating
the matter. A broader picture would emerge after completion of
investigations," Buam said, adding, "KLNLF wants to widen its
area of operation from North Cachar Hills to Karbi Anglong now
dominated by the BW."
May 19
14 persons, including six NDFB militants, were
killed in two separate incidents in the Karbi Anglong and North
Cachar Hills Districts. SFs shot dead six NDFB militants in a
jungle under Dokmoka outpost of Howraghat Police Station in the
Karbi Anglong District in the early morning, which put the death
toll in both the incidents at 10. Police sources said the militants
taking shelter in a transit camp inside a deep jungle near Donghaf
opened fire as the SFs advanced towards the militant camp. The
exchange of fire continued for more than three hours during which
two militants managed to escape while the other six died on the
spot. However, none of the slain militants were identified. Three
9-mm pistols, two 9-mm revolvers, two grenades and a hand-made
carbine, a magazine, 23 live rounds of ammunition, 12 gelatine
sticks, 150 metre fuse wire and 143 detonators were recovered
from the encounter site.
10 unidentified militants shot dead four Dimasa
tribals at Interim Bungalow, a secluded place on the highway about
seven kilometres from Mahur town in North Cachar Hills District.
Police sources said unidentified militants stalled the passenger
jeep at Interim Bungalow and asked all the 14 passengers to get
down from the jeep, lined them up and asked them to reveal their
ethnic and racial identities. The militants then segregated four
Dimasa tribals from the group and opened fire on them.
10 houses belonging to Dimasa tribals were set
ablaze in a village located on a hill near Mahur town of North
Cachar Hills District by suspected Zeme Nagas.
Unidentified BW militants opened fired upon a
heavily fortified goods train coming from Lumding and bound for
Lower Haflong. The attack took place between Mahur and Phaiding
railway stations in the same District. The SFs retaliated by firing
about 10 rounds on the six-odd militants who fled away into the
nearby hills. However, nobody was injured in the attack.
The Guwahati Police arrested two youths, identified
as Dhanjit Kalita and K. Sinha, from the Chandmari Police Station
area for allegedly planning to serve extortion notes in the name
of the banned ULFA.
May 20
Three unidentified NDFB militants were shot dead
in an encounter with Security personnel at Gandhibari Dekipota
under Tamulpur Police Station in Baksa District.
A three kilogram bomb was recovered from a bus
stop at Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur District.
May 21
A report of the International Federation of Journalists
(IFJ) released in Guwahati mentioned that journalists are being
forced to work under very unsafe conditions in Northeast, due
to the presence of numerous armed insurgent groups. While at least
22 journalists, most of them working for local newspapers, have
been killed by insurgent groups and other criminals in Assam since
1987, the IFJ report has termed the prevailing conditions under
which journalists function in the Northeastern region as "a matter
of big concern". The IFJ report also put on record that 17 journalists,
including Parag Kumar Das, Executive Editor of Asomiya Pratidin,
were killed in Assam since 1991. The report also referred to the
situation in Manipur and said journalists work under "totally
unsafe" conditions in the State which has about 35 armed insurgent
groups. "Security of journalists in Manipur, which has an estimated
35 insurgent groups in a population of three million, has always
been a cause of concern," the report said.
May 22
12 persons were injured when a group of eight
militants of the BW outfit attacked a goods train in the North
Cachar Hills District. Police sources said the Badarpur-bound
train from Lumding was attacked between the Langting and Dijaobra
stations. Two railway personnel, including an assistant engineer,
three personnel of the India Reserve Battalion and seven constables
of Assam Police were injured in the attack. The militants fled
when "the security personnel inside the heavily fortified goods
train retaliated strongly," a Maibong Police source said.
Unidentified militants shot at and wounded a school
teacher, Biswajit Debnath, near Patharghat area of Kokrajhar town.
Army arrested one linkman of the PULF, identified
as Mohammed Imamuddin Chowdhury (30), from his Badripar residence
of Silchar in Cachar District.
May 23
Goods train services were indefinitely suspended
due to frequent militant attacks in North Cachar Hills District.
The decision for suspension of services was taken following May
22 militant attack on a Badarpur-bound goods train that left 12
persons injured.
May 25
Two persons, including one surrendered United
Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) cadre Bipul Saraniya (25), were
shot dead by an unidentified militant at Saukuchi under Barama
Police Station in Baksa. Police sources said when the SULFA man
was taking a meal along with Amar Das (15) at their relative's
home, an unidentified militant shot at them with a 9-mm pistol
from zero distance.
The driver of an Army-hired patrolling vehicle
was injured when suspected KLNLF militants lobbed a grenade and
exploded an IED at Laklangsu in the Karbi Anglong District.
The CBI has filed its charge sheets in connection
with the October 30, 2008 serial blasts in Assam in the Court
of Special Judicial Magistrate of CBI. Sources said that as many
as 19 accused have been named in the charge sheets against six
cases filed under different Police stations of the State. The
charge sheets, according to sources, also feature names of a few
NDFB cadres, besides others. Of the 19 accused, most have been
arrested, while a couple of prime suspects is currently absconding,
sources stated, adding that the court was expected to issue non-bailable
warrants against those absconding.
The Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram issued
a stern warning to the BW militants, stating that the challenge
thrown at the State would be met. Replying to questions, Chidambaram
said that he was aware of the situation in the hill areas of Assam.
"The BW has thrown a challenge to the State, we will respond to
the challenge," he said.
May 26
SFs arrested a 'corporal' of the NDFB, identified
as Indra Swargiyari, from No. 3 Rayang Daruwa Basti near Jonai
Dhemaji District. One US-made revolver of 38 Calibre, large quantity
of ammunition, three mobile SIM cards, one Bajaj Discover motorcycle
and incriminating documents were recovered from his possession.
Sources said that Indra Swargiyari was trailed for the past one
week as information regarding his involvement in various extortion
activities in Jonai area was being monitored. He was arrested
while he was on his way to collect extortion money in Jonai Bazaar.
SFs arrested a woman militant of the KLNLF from
Langlakso area under Howraghat Police Station in the Karbi Anglong
District. She was identified as Jangni Tissopi (25) of Mentila
area in the same District. According to her confession, she joined
the KLNLF three years ago.
May 27
SFs recovered three IEDs from the house of one
Jogesh Hembrom (32), a resident of Bhodeyaguri village under Gossaigaon
Police Station in Kokrajhar District.
Police recovered 37 gelatines and 50 electronic
detonators from a bus from the Kheroni Police Station area of
Karbi Anglong District. The explosives were suspected to be carried
for the BW militant outfit. The driver Ainul Haque and helper
Noor Ahmed Ali of the bus were detained for further interrogation.
May 28
Suspected militants shot dead two persons and
set ablaze 28 houses, a school building and a community hall in
a Zeme Naga village in the North Cachar Hills District. With this,
the death toll in the current spate of attacks on villages of
the Dimasa and Zeme Naga tribes has gone up to 24. In addition,
suspected militants removed 41 sleepers from the rail track between
Disaobra and Langting stations on the Lumding-Badarpur line.
Two army personnel and two suspected ULFA militants
were injured in an encounter at Naamtemera Noigaon under Dergaon
Police Station in Golaghat District.
Sentinel has reported that the '28th Battalion'
of the ULFA served extortion notices to several businessmen in
upper Assam and set a target of collecting INR 10 million from
the region. Sources said that taking advantage of the agreement
between the Government and the pro-talks faction of the ULFA,
a group of militants were serving extortion notes in the name
of the ULFA's '709 Battalion' to a number of businessmen in Dibrugarh
and Tinsukia Districts. According to sources in the ULFA, a meeting
was convened at the headquarters of the '28th Battalion' in Myanmar
three days back to discuss the financial crisis and ways to cope
with it. The meeting unanimously resolved to collect INR 10 million
from upper Assam and instructed its cadres to serve the extortion
notes.
May 29
A woman was killed and two huts were set ablaze
in the Phoiding village near Haflong in the continuing cycle of
ethnic violence in North Cachar Hills District. The attack on
the Dimasa village came a day after two Zeme Naga boys were killed
and 16 cottages were set ablaze at Mabao village by an armed militant
group on May 28. Sources said six armed persons came to Phoiding
around 11am (IST) and began setting the huts on fire. The group
also fired indiscriminately from automatic weapons, killing Noham
Dibragede (48), and injuring Lomi Kemprai (50).
Jyoti Bikash Dutta, a former Zilla Parishad Council
member of the Amiopur Gaon Panchayat, was abducted by suspected
NDFB militants from his residence in the Hosgrajuli area of Dhekiajuli
in Sonitpur District.
Assam Rifles soldiers recovered six crude bombs
from one Hasmat Ali of Palasbari village of the same District.
In addition, Police recovered around five kilograms of explosives
(ammonium nitrate) along with over four kilograms of wax from
an abandoned thatched house in West Jyotinagar area of Guwahati
City.
Police arrested three unidentified ULFA militants
at Baihata Chariali area of Rangiya in Kamrup District. Five kilograms
of RDX (Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine) were recovered from their
possession.
May 30
Unidentified militants shot dead Magnath Basumatary,
a local leader of the BPPF, at Mokrapara Diabari under Kokrajhar
Police Station limits in the afternoon.
Ratani Bala Brahma alias Nani (32) was
critically injured when unidentified militants shot at her in
the same night at Rabhapara in Kokrajhar District. Police sources
said her husband Nikhil Brahma, a BPPF supporter, was the intended
target.
Police arrested two ULFA militants, identified
as Pramod Kalita and Satish Rajbongshi, and one PLA cadre, Birchandra
Singh, from the Baihata Chariali area of Kamrup District. 50 kilograms
of RDX, five kilograms of ammonium nitrate and some detonators
were recovered from their possession. Police claimed that on the
eve of ULFA's protest day, the militants were on an extortion
drive in Kamrup, including Guwahati city. They arrived at Baihata
Chariali to meet one bomb-expert, the report added.
Police arrested the Chief Executive Member (CEM)
of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council, Mohit Hojai, for
allegedly giving INR 10 million to two persons for purchasing
arms for a militant outfit. R.H. Khan, a liaison official of the
District council and a former deputy director in the social welfare
department, was also arrested along with Hojai from Halflong in
North Cachar Hills District. Sources said Hojai had been kept
at an undisclosed location and would be interrogated in connection
with the recent recovery of INR 10 million from Brojen Hojai and
Babul Kemprai, who were arrested from the Assam-Meghalaya border
on April 2. Apart from the cash, two small weapons and stationery
of the BW outfit were also recovered from their possession. The
duo alleged that Mohit Hojai had given them the money to purchase
weapons for the BW from an international arms dealer. Mohit Hojai
had gone underground for over two months after the incident, but
surfaced in Haflong town last month and took charge of the council.
A Police team from Guwahati went to Haflong and arrested Hojai.
Sources said Hojai had paid the amount to the BW as "protection
money".
The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that
70 militancy-related incidents had taken place in the hill District
in the past four months and at least 20 persons had been killed
and more than 1,600 persons rendered homeless in the attacks.
Separately, the Union Government has intensified efforts to restore
normalcy in North Cachar Hills District with the Union Home Minister
P. Chidambaram summoning Assam Chief Secretary P.C. Sharma and
the Director-General of Police, G.M. Srivastava, to Delhi in the
evening of June 1 (today) to review the law and order in the District.
May 31
The ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, who
has been hiding in Bangladesh for many years now, is reported
to be in China for about a month now, intelligence agencies have
indicated. Government sources told that Indian intelligence agencies
have been able to intercept Baruah's mobile phone and satellite
phone conversations from China and are also aware of his precise
location in that country. Though there is no clarity on the reason
for his visit, sources said Baruah might have travelled to China
in the hope of procuring some arms. His China visit comes at a
time when the Awami League Government under Sheikh Hasina has
initiated a crackdown on the ULFA and other Indian insurgent groups
who have taken shelter in that country.
June 1
Unidentified gunmen shot dead 32-year
old Sambhu Saha, a schoolteacher, at Runikhata under Basugaon
Police Station in Chirang District at about 2pm (IST).
A KLNLF militant was shot dead when
a joint team of the Police and Army neutralised a camp of the
outfit near Upper Deopani under Barpathar Police station in Karbi
Anglong District.
The Union Government decided to direct
the national Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the investigation
of two cases registered by the Assam Police relating to seizure
of weapons and cash amounting to INR 10 million allegedly involving
the top office bearers of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council.
The cases were handed over by the Centre in exercise of the powers
under Section 6(5) of the National Investigation Agency Act, and
an order directing the NIA accordingly has been issued, official
sources said. The decision to hand over the cases, the NIA's first,
was taken after meetings with Chief Secretary P.C. Sarma and Director
General of Police G. M. Srivastava in Delhi. The meeting, chaired
by Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta reviewed the situation
in North Cachar Hills.
June 2
Police arrested one Ranjit Dutta
alias Jan of Sasoni Tokobill area on the charge of extortion
from Tipling under Duliajan Police Station in Dibrugarh District.
Police sources said Dutta was arrested when he went to collect
the extortion money. A few note pads of the ULFA and some incriminating
documents were recovered from his possession.
A cadre belonging to the '709 battalion'
of the ULFA, identified as Nripen Das, was arrested by the Police
from Hajo in Kamrup District.
June 3
Suspected BW militants shot dead
five persons, including two children, and set ablaze 54 houses
when they attacked Borchenam Basti, a Zeme Naga inhabited village
under Haflong Police Station in the North Cachar Hills District.
Police sources informed that BW militants entered the village
at around 5am (IST) killing two minor girls, two old women and
one teen-aged boy in the attack. Another child was seriously injured,
the report added.
Three militants, including a senior
ULFA militant identified as Madhurjya Gogoi, were killed in an
encounter with the Army at Chayabhata village in Karbi Anglong
District around 1.30pm (IST). Gogoi was a self-styled 'lieutenant'
of the banned outfit. Of the other two militants, one was Gogoi's
bodyguard while another was a KLNLF cadre. An AK-series rifle,
two 9mm pistols, a Chinese grenade, ammunition and cash-receipt
book were recovered from the encounter site.
Hari Chandra Boro, president of Kokilabari
unit of the BPPF, was shot dead by unidentified militants in Baksa
District. Police sources said Boro (50) was en route to his residence
at Silbari from Bagmara on a cycle when he was shot dead by two
unidentified gunmen.
An exchange of fire took place between
the pro-talks and surrendered militants of the NDFB in Kokrajhar
bazaar. However, no fatality was reported.
A ULFA militant, Karuna Mili alias
Madhab Mili, was arrested from Matmara area under Dhakuakhana
Police Station in Lakhimpur District. A 9-mm factory made pistol,
one magazine and three rounds of live ammunition were recovered
from his possession.
June 4
Four NDFB militants were shot dead
by the SFs during encounters in the Sonitpur and Udalguri Districts.
While two militants were killed by the Army at Khanamukh in Sonitpur
District, two others were killed and arms recovered during another
encounter at Jingebil in Udalguri District.
Frankey Dimasa, the self-styled 'foreign
secretary' of the banned BW outfit, was shot dead in an encounter
with the Guwahati City Police in an unspecified area of the city.
Three other BW militants, however, managed to escape under the
cover of darkness. Police recovered a foreign-made pistol from
the possession of the slain militant.
Unidentified militants shot dead
one person, identified as Nayanjyoti Goswami, in the Hazarikapara
area under Sipajhar Police Station in Darrang District in the
same evening. Another youth, Jyotish Sharma, was injured in the
firing.
In a joint operation with the Karnataka
Police, Assam Police arrested the 'chairman' and 'chief' of the
BW outfit, Jewel Gorlosa, from Bangalore, capital of Karnataka.
Sources revealed that Gorlosa was out of North Cachar Hills District
for a long time and different security agencies were trying to
track him. Central intelligence agencies managed to track him
in Bangalore where he was living for around two months. An Assam
Police team headed by the Deputy Inspector General (Central Western
Range) G.P. Singh raided an apartment at Arakere cross off Bannerghatta
road in Bangalore on June 3-night and arrested Jewel, Partha Warisa
and Samir Ahmed. Passbooks, ATM cards, mobile phones, cash and
other documents have been seized from them.
Reports indicated that senior BW
leader Niranjan Hojai would be the next 'chairman' of the banned
militant outfit. Stating that the arrest of Jewel Garlosa could
not weaken the organization, BW 'deputy chairman' Daniel Garlosa
reportedly said that Niranjan Hojai, a nephew of the arrested
North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council chief executive member Mohit
Hojai, would lead the outfit from now onwards.
SF neutralised the Mansami National
Christian Army (MNCA), a nascent tribal outfit comprising Hmar
youths active in the Churachandpur District of Manipur and Cachar
District of south Assam in a three-day joint offensive. The operation
that began on June 1 was carried out in two phases - near a Shiva
temple in Bhuban Hills in the Tezpur hill range in Sonai block
of Cachar District and in some areas of Churachandpur District.
The outfit based in Churachandpur, a bastion of Hmar tribals,
was launched on March 16, 2009. Army sources said eight cadres
of the outfit were arrested in two phases. The arrested include
Lalthupui Pampi (33), Ramvhhung (30), Ramchouand (29), Derepian
(53), Leirikham (29), Sansumanga (31), Lalmalswam (29) and Rimni
(30). Lalthupui Pampi, the self-styled 'commander' of the outfit,
is from Langthuli village of Tipaimukh in Manipur. Two rifles,
a pistol, some bullets, four Bibles and eight jackets bearing
the Cross were recovered from their possession.
Three KLNLF militants, identified
as Kehang Ronghang, Angphar Timung and Chinthong Tisso, surrendered
before the SFs at Diphu in the Karbi Anglong District.
A KLO militant, identified as Bikash
Roy (21), was arrested by the troops from Kherbari village under
Golokganj Police Station in Dhubri District. One fake identity
card of a railway officer was recovered from Bikash Roy with his
photo pasted on it.
June 5
A suspected NDFB linkman, identified
as Sunil Koch, was arrested by the Border Security Force personnel
from Nokchi outpost in the West Garo Hills District when he was
trying to infiltrate to Bangladesh.
A huge cache of arms belonging to
the ULFA was recovered by Security Forces from Tinsukia District.
June 6
A labourer, Khagen Mushahary, was
shot dead by unidentified militants at Uttar Gualbil under Tamulpur
Police Station in Baksa District.
Army personnel arrested two unidentified
ACF militants from Restekpur in Kokrajhar District.
Two BW militants surrendered before
the Army along with arms in the Maibong town of North Cachar Hills
District. A source in the North Cachar Hills District administration
identified the duo as Prabesh Singyung alias Martin Dimasa and
Manjit Jidung alias Handsome Dimasa. The duo deposited
a sophisticated M-16 rifle, a 9mm pistol and assorted ammunition,
including two M-16 magazines and 36 live ammunition. The source
further added that around 30 to 40 cadres would soon surrender
formally. The team includes three top cadres identified as James,
Bihari and Dinob.
June 7
Unidentified militants shot dead
one ex-Army personnel, Milaram Swargiary (36), of Panjuri village
in Dokmoka outpost under Howraghat Police Station in Karbi Anglong
District.
An NDFB militant, Nebarson Brahma
alias Nathur Brahma, was shot dead by the Army at Batachipur
in Dhekiajuli sub-division of Sonitpur District.
Army personnel arrested two militants
of an unidentified Muslim extremist outfit from Asharkandi village
of Dhubri District. The duo was later identified as Adul Barak
(25) and Samsul Haque (27). A pistol was recovered from their
possession.
The Assam Government alerted security
formations in North Cachar Hills District asking them not to be
taken in by the BW's unilateral cease-fire declaration, as it
could be a ploy to launch strikes in retaliation to the arrest
and killing of its top leaders. A source in the Government said
Dispur has received no communiqué yet from the outfit declaring
the three-month unilateral truce and as such, nothing had changed
on the ground. David Dimasa, commander of the group's "north zone",
who called up a few reporters last evening to announce the cease-fire,
promised that the outfit would abjure violence, and asked the
Government to consider its demands. "Operations are on irrespective
of what has been reported by the media and the Security Forces
are in a search-and-destroy mode," an official said.
June 8
Two NDFB militants were shot dead
by Security Force personnel in an encounter at Pachim Baralia
under Tamulpur Police Station in Baksa District.
The vice president of Bengtol
primary of the BPPF, Gandeswar Basumatary (45), was killed by
suspected BPF cadres at Domgaon in the Chirang District.
SFs arrested one Prasenjit Barman
(19) of Goladangi and his accomplice Manik Barman (21) for their
alleged links with the ULFA.
At least 37 houses belonging to
Dimasa people were set ablaze by unidentified militants in two
separate incidents at Lailing village under Mahur Police station
and of Diduki village under Maibang Police Station of North Cachar
Hills District. According to the Police, two houses at Lailing
village, some seven kilometres from Mahur, were set ablaze by
militants early in the morning and no casualty was reported. Further
at about 1 pm (IST), a group of gunmen wearing black dress and
helmet came to the Diduki village and fired indiscriminately and
torched 35 houses out of 45 houses of the village.
June 9
Troops recovered a cache of arms
and ammunition from Amarpur in Tinsukia District. Two .9-mm pistols,
two radio sets, 10 kilograms of explosives, 66 detonators and
other weapons were recovered.
The managing director of a Kolkata-based
construction company who was abducted by suspected NDFB militants
on May 28 from Salakati area of Kokrajhar District was found on
the streets of Guwahati. Police sources said Pradip Roy, a top
official of the Pradip Structural Development Private Ltd, was
abducted along with four others from Salakati.
Five prime accused in the trial
process of the October 30, 2008 serial bomb blasts appeared before
the court of special judicial magistrate at Kamrup. They were
identified as Nilam Daimary, Ajai Basumatary, Raju Sarkar, Jayanti
Brahma and Prabhat Boro.
Quoting the Chief Minister of
Assam Tarun Gogoi, Assam Tribune has reported that the
Assam Government is going to continue with its operation against
the BW and not respond to the unilateral cease-fire announced
by the outfit after the arrest of its ‘chairman’ Jewel Garlosa.
The Chief Minister said the State and Union Governments are very
clear about what they want and a gesture of three-month cease-fire
would go unanswered from their side, unless the militant outfit
agrees to adhere to the stringent pre-conditions. The pre-conditions
include laying down of arms and ammunition, a complete halt to
all illegal activities including collection of funds, extortion,
abduction, confinement within the designated camps among others.
He mentioned that almost all militant outfits, which have entered
into cease-fire pacts with the Government, have violated it with
impunity. The NDFB, UPDS and DHD factions have all taken advantage
of the cease-fire pacts and indulged in illegal activities like
extortion, collection of taxes, gun running, bomb blasts and abductions,
he added.
SFs engaged in counter-insurgency
operations in Assam have been put on a high alert following intelligence
inputs that the anti-talks faction of the NDFB led by Ranjan Daimary
may try to trigger explosions in Guwahati city and some other
places of the State. The Director General of Assam Police, G.M.
Srivastava, said that Police have received such a report and all
possible measures are being taken to foil any such move by the
outfit. He said, "We have received a report that the anti-talk
faction of the NDFB might try to trigger off explosions and we
are not taking the report lightly." However, he refused to go
into details.
June 10
The bullet-riddled dead body of
Devanand Basumatary was recovered from the bank of Gaurang in
Kokrajhar District. He was abducted by unidentified militants
from Haltugaon Tinali on June 8.
13 huts of Dimasa tribals were
set ablaze at Jiri Basti, 18 kilometres from Haflong in North
Cachar Hills District. Police said about seven persons fired at
the Dimasa huts and then set them ablaze. The huts were unoccupied.
Police suspect the raiders to be from the Zeme Naga tribe, which
is at loggerheads with the Dimasa community.
Telegraph reports that
the ULFA has started a new strategy of recruiting the youth of
tea tribe community in upper Assam. The outfit’s new strategy
came to light following the arrest of an ULFA linkman, Devdas
Tanti, from Thowra tea estate in Sivasagar District. Tanti, a
tea garden labourer, confessed that he had been asked by the ULFA
to lure tea garden youths to join the outfit.
June 11
Two NDFB militants were shot dead
by a combined team of the Army, Central Reserve Police Force and
Assam Police at Sonari Khorang village in the Udalguri District.
One NDFB militant was killed and
another was injured during an encounter with the SFs at Naharbari
village in Sonitpur District. An AK-56 rifle, a Chinese grenade,
72 bullets and several documents, including NDFB letterheads and
receipts, were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.
A NDFB militant, Bolu Doimary
(28), was killed in an encounter with the Police at Naharbari
under Diphu Police Station in Karbi Anglong District. However,
three other militants managed to escape from the incident site.
Two ULFA militants, identified
as Megha Hajong and Arun Rabha, were killed by a joint team of
the Meghalaya Police and Army at Bangalpara village in West Garo
Hills District. An AK-47 rifle, two Chinese grenades, three AK-rifle
magazines with ammunition and some explosives were recovered from
their possession. Hajong was the ‘area commander’ of the ULFA
for the entire Garo Hills. Police said Hajong was involved in
smuggling of arms and ammunition from Bangladesh through the Garo
Hills border to Assam.
Troops arrested one PULF militant,
identified as Saidul Islam, from Boalipar village near Hailakandi.
The personnel of Assam Rifles
arrested two MULTA militants from Lankai Sapori area of Sonitpur
District.
Businessman Lakshman Saha (45)
who was abducted from his shop at Hatidhara Tiniali in the Dhubri
District was reportedly released by the abductors after 25 days
in captivity. Five unidentified youths reportedly came on two
motorcycles at about 7.30 pm (IST) on May 14 and abducted Lakshman
Saha at gunpoint from his shop at Hatidhara Tiniali and managed
to escape to the Parbatjhora forest area under Kajigaon Police
Station of Kokrajhar District in Bodoland Territorial Areas District
(BTAD). According to sources, the abductors acted as hired men
of the NDFB and handed Lakshman Saha to the NDFB. The same source
claimed that Lakshman Saha was released after paying a ransom
of INR 425000 though his family has denied the transaction.
Assam Tribune reports that
the Assam Governor S.C. Mathur has assumed powers of the North
Cachar Hills Autonomous Council. The Governor took this decision
following a meeting with the Chief Secretary, Commissioner-in-charge
of Hill Areas Development of the Government of Assam and the Advocate
General at the Raj Bhawan (Governor’s House). However, it is still
not known whether the Council has been kept under suspension or
dissolved. The Cabinet had earlier adopted a resolution asking
the Governor to assume powers of the Council following the arrest
of the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Council, Mohit Hojai,
on charges of providing funds to militants belonging to the banned
BW outfit.
June 12
SFs shot dead two NDFB militants
at Dwimuguri forest village under Serfanguri Police Station in
the Kokrajhar District. One of the two slain militants was identified
as Swmaosar Narzary (18). Two revolvers of .38 calibres, grenades
and a couple of mobile sets along with ten rounds of ammunition
were recovered from the encounter site.
The SFs shot dead an ‘area commander’
of the NDFB, Dankhaw Boro, at an unspecified location at Diphu
in the Karbi Anglong District. Dankhaw reportedly killed four
family members of a Congress party activist at Diphu on May 19.
Quoting the confession of arrested
BW chief Jewel Gorlosa, Telegraph reported that bamboo
trade in the North Cachar Hills was one of the major money-spinners
for the outfit. A senior Police official said the BW on an average
was extorting INR five millions per month from bamboo merchants
in the District. "Following the interrogation of Jewel Gorlosa
and other members and sympathisers of the BW, it has come to light
that the outfit has extorted money to the tune of several millions
of rupees from the bamboo suppliers over the years," he said.
"Ransom collected from contractors engaged in the projects and
bamboo traders, and diversion of development funds allocated to
the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council were the main sources
of money for the BW," he added.
Dilip Nunisa, the chairman of
DHD, said that slow progress in peace talks between the Government
and DHD is one of the main reasons for the deterioration of the
overall law and order situation in North Cachar Hills District.
Talking to Assam Tribune, Nunisa alleged that the DHD came out
of the jungles to express its desire to solve the problems through
talks, but the Government is responsible for the slow progress
in dialogue. He said that though five years have passed since
the dialogue began, not much headway has been made and the Government
is yet to make clear what it could give the Dimasa people for
their political safeguard and economic upliftment. Nunisa blamed
the Government for the sharply deteriorating situation in North
Cachar Hills.
June 14
Four militants of the anti-talks
faction of the NDFB were shot dead and another arrested by the
Security Forces near Jhargaon village in Baska District. One 9-mm
pistol, two 7.62 pistols, 12 rounds of live ammunition and mobile
phones were recovered from the house where the militants were
taking shelter.
One BW militant, M Dimasa, was
shot dead in an encounter with Assam Rifles personnel at Longma
in Baska District in the same night. One AK-47 rifle along with
a magazine and 30 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the
possession of the slain militant.
Police recovered seven grenades
and two detonators from a bus at Gogra (Goreswar) Chawk under
Tamulpur Police Station in Baksa District. One Uttam Basumatary
was arrested in this connection.
The Kokrajhar District Police
arrested two persons, identified as Biplab Nath (Bipu) and Pabitra
Tassa, from Jamugurihat under Jamuguri Police Station in Sonitpur
District on charges of supplying an Aircel SIM card to an NDFB
cadre. Chida Boruah and Dibyajyoti Bora, proprietor and an employee
respectively of Trishul Communication of Jamugurihat area were
also taken into custody.
Two suspected militants of the
ULFA managed to escape after local residents pelted stones at
them when they tried to threaten a businessman at gunpoint on
the Chamber Road under Fancy Bazaar Police Station of Guwahati
city. Police, however, managed to recover a .38 and a 9-mm pistol
which the militants left behind after being chased by the public.
A NDFB militant, identified as
Baten Basumatary alias Rajib Basumatary (24), was shot
dead by unidentified persons at Murabari under Salakati Police
outpost in Kokrajhar District.
June 15
A former BLT cadre, Enjur Gwra Basumatary of Nadangiri
under the Salakati Police outpost of Kokrajhar District, was shot
at by unidentified militants.
The Police and Army personnel shot dead an ULFA
militant, identified as Biman Gogoi, and arrested a linkman, Hemchandra
Gogoi, from Telikhola Majgaon area of Sadiya in Tinsukia District.
Later, the Army recovered two AK-56 rifles, three magazines of
AK series, one magazine of M-20 pistol and 128 live ammunitions
of AK series from Udaypur area under Chapakhowa Police Station,
based on the confession of the arrested linkman.
Three NDFB militants, identified as Gopal Basumatary,
Suresh Basumatary and Jagadish Rabha, were arrested by the Police
from Rupnagar area of Guwahati.
June 16
Suspected BW militants shot dead 12 persons and
set ablaze 20 houses in an attack at Michidui village under Haflong
Police Station of North Cachar Hills District. Police sources
said a group of armed militants attacked Michidui and opened indiscriminate
fire killing 12 persons, including eight minors, on the spot.
Two other persons were also injured in the attack. Police said
the village, inhabited by Zeme Naga people, was abandoned following
the recent incidents of ethnic clashes and the villagers had taken
shelter near a camp of the Assam Rifles camp located around three
kilometers away. But recently, the villagers had started going
back to the village during day time for cultivation and the militants
reportedly took advantage of the situation to attack them.
The Police shot dead an unidentified militant
of the NDFB during an encounter in Birubari area under Fatasil
Ambari Police Station of Guwahati city. Police also recovered
an M-20 pistol and five rounds of live ammunition from the possession
of the slain militant.
Khotkhati Police arrested four NDFB militants
from Lahorijan under Bokajan Police Station in Karbi Anglong District
when they were on an extortion drive.
Police also arrested two NDFB militants, identified
as Mithun Mushahari and Anil Mushahari, from Dhekiajuli town in
the Sonitpur District. INR 50,000 was recovered from their possession.
Police sources said the duo was arrested while eating at a hotel
after collecting extortion money from a petrol depot.
The NIA released the sketch of John Mizo alias
Shambhu Pradhan, the most wanted gun-runner responsible for supplying
arms and ammunition to various Northeast based militant groups,
especially the BW outfit. John, who operates from Mizoram and
Meghalaya, is wanted in connection with several cases pertaining
to arms dealing, besides the case registered by NIA to probe the
hidden nexus between politicians and militant groups. John, according
to Police, is the person who was to be paid INR ten million that
was recovered from two BW militants along the Assam-Meghalaya
border on April 1. The BW had already received a consignment of
over 60 rifles of AK series in the aforementioned deal.
June 17
A joint team of Police and Army shot dead three
NDFB militants during an encounter at Auguri village under Gogamukh
Police Station of Dhemaji District. One of the militants was identified
as Manu Basumatary (25) of Abhaypur village. The militants were
taking shelter in the residence of one Niranjan Swargiary of Auguri
village. One AK-56 rifle with 50 bullets, one 7.62 pistol, one
loaded 9 mm pistol, one mobile phone and a money receipt book
were recovered from their possession.
Telegraph quoting eyewitnesses sources
reports that three suspected ULFA militants who came on two bicycles
shot dead a surrendered SULFA cadre, Khiren Chandra Nath (36),
inside a saloon at Salkosa in Dhubri District. Another surrendered
ULFA cadre, Bishnu Barman, and a barber, Dulal Sil Sarma, were
injured. The people of the area later obstructed the National
Highway and gheraoed the Police Station in protest against the
killing.
Police arrested one Jai Prakash Rai from Jahaj
Ghat in Tezpur District and recovered a handmade revolver and
a .303 live cartridge from his possession.
The death toll in the ethnic violence between
Dimasa and Zemi-Naga tribes in North Cachar Hills District increased
to 15, since three more people succumbed to their injuries.
June 18
An unidentified ULFA militant was shot dead by
a joint team of the Army and Police at Dababil under Sidli Police
Station in Chirang District.
The United Pro-talks Organization (UPO), comprising
the ULFA, DHD, ACF and the BCF, demanded regional autonomy in
the Northeast so that lasting solutions to the problems of the
region could be solved.
June 19
An unidentified ULFA militant was shot dead in
an encounter with Police and CRPF personnel at Kacharitol village
under Kalaigaon Police Station in Udalguri District. One Chinese
pistol along with several rounds of live ammunition were recovered
from the possession of the slain militant.
All the six Doordarshan Television channel employees
manning the Low Power Transmitter located at Haflong in the North
Cachar Hills District fled following an extortion demand by the
BW. Doordarshan sources said the relay centre had been shut down
for the past two weeks.
June 20
Unidentified militants set ablaze 21 houses at
Dimasa inhabitated village Delon Watling under Maibong Sub-Division
in North Cachar Hills District. There was no casualty as the houses
were abandoned a month ago in the wake of ethnic violence between
the Dimasa and Zeme Naga tribes. Meanwhile, the Asom Satra Mahasabha
(apex body of vaishnavite monasteries) dubbed the spurt in ethnic
violence in the District as a part of the conspiracy to include
some areas of the District in the National NSCN-IM plan for a
Nagalim (Greater Nagaland).
June 21
Two ULFA militants were shot dead during a joint
operation by the Army and Police near the Dijuvalley tea estate
in Nagaon District. One of the slain militants was identified
as Subhankar Bora alias Debojit Saikia, a cadre of the '28th battalion'
of the ULFA, while the other is yet to be identified. One AK 56
rifle, one 9-mm revolver and ammunition and fired cases were recovered
from the possession of the slain militants.
A suspected militant was shot dead by the Police
during an encounter at Kachaitola and Gossaighat under Kalaigaon
Police Station in Udalguri District. Police intercepted two unidentified
militants who were trying to escape by opening fire on the Police
and CRPF personnel. The Police team retaliated at them. Subsequently,
the dead body of a slain militant was recovered from the village.
A 9-mm pistol, three live rounds of ammunition and one empty cartridge
were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.
June 22
Five NDFB militants were shot dead and huge cache
of arms and ammunition were recovered in two separate incidents.
Three NDFB militants, including a self-styled 'area commander'
B John Wan, were killed in an encounter with SFs at Majbat in
Udalguri District. A 9 mm pistol along with several rounds of
ammunition and some documents were recovered from the slain militants.
In another incident, two NDFB militants were killed in an encounter
with Police and Army in the same evening at Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur
District. Two pistols, two bicycles and several documents were
recovered from the possession of the slain militants.
The dead body of an ex- BLT cadre, Mukul Daimary
of Boro Kursakati area, was recovered from near Basugaon railway
station in the Chirang District. Daimary was reportedly missing
since June 21.
Personnel of the 65th Field Regiment
of Red Horns Division arrested one Binoy Borah, a cadre of the
27th Battalion of ULFA, from Adhikarigaon village under Mangaldai
Police Station in Darrang District. One 7.65 mm magazine, five
live rounds and one mobile phone was recovered from his possession.
The Border Security Force personnel arrested a
HuJI cadre, Mohiruddin Sheikh, near Balajan in the Dhubri District.
The ULFA called a 12-hour Assam bandh (general
shutdown) from 5 am (IST) of June 25 for the alleged killing of
cadres of ULFA, NDFB and BW outfit in custody of the SFs. In a
press release issued on June 22, the ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa
alleged that recently two members of the 28th battalion of the
ULFA - Debojit Chetia and Durlav Bora - were killed in Nagaon
in a "fake encounter". He said that both the ULFA members were
arrested on June 10 near Karbi Anglong and were later shot dead.
The ULFA chairman also alleged that in June 2009 17 NDFB cadres
were killed and most of them were killed while they were in the
custody of the SFs. He further alleged that BW cadre Frankie Dimasa
was also killed after he was picked up by the troops. Rajkhowa
said that instead of trying to find political solution to the
problems, the Government has been trying to deal with the situation
with force.
June 23
One ULFA militant was shot dead in an encounter
with a joint team of the Police and CRPF at Sagarkuchi village
in Khatikuchi area under Ghograpar Police Station in Nalbari District.
According to sources, the SFs arrested two militants while travelling
on a numberless bike. In the encounter, one militant was injured
while the other managed to escape. The wounded militant later
succumbed to his injuries.
SFs recovered six IEDs hidden inside a bag of
vegetables from a public bus in the Sonitpur District. The IEDs,
weighing nearly five kilograms each, were defused soon after recovery.
Police suspect the involvement of the banned NDFB outfit behind
the incident. Five persons, including the bus driver, were detained
for interrogation.
Assam Police personnel arrested a MULTA militant,
identified as Mohammad Sahidul Islam (20), from his residence
at Nimtola Bahalmukh village under Mairabari Police Station in
Nagaon District. One Chinese MM pistol was recovered from his
possession.
SFs arrested two UPDS militants from Taralangso
under Diphu Police Station in Karbi Anglong District.
The pro-talks faction of the ULFA celebrated the
anniversary of a unilateral cease-fire and initiation of peace
process, reports Sentinel. The 'Alpha and Charlie' companies of
the '28th battalion' of ULFA had declared a unilateral truce on
June 24, 2008. The pro-talks ULFA cadres living in the designated
camps at Kakopathar, Tinsukia, Moran and Nalbari have been demanding
full autonomy. However, Mrinal Hazarika and Jiten Dutta, leaders
of these two companies, expressed apprehension that with little
development in the peace process, there was a high possibility
of new recruits joining the ULFA.
June 24
A two-and-a-half year old girl, Pratima Das, was
killed when a bullet fired on her father by unidentified militants
hit her at Dongpar under Tamulpur Police Station in Nalbari District
SFs recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition
from Namdang reserve forest under Khowang Police Station in Dibrugarh
District. Around 3000 rounds of various types of ammunition, five
hand grenades, one AK 56 rifle with three magazines, one revolver
and 30 detonators were recovered. All the arms and ammunition
were sealed in two large bags. Colonel D K Singh of the Indian
Army said intelligence inputs and interrogation of surrendered
and arrested cadres had indicated that the reserve forests in
Dibrugarh District were being used by the ULFA and other terrorist
groups for transit and for hiding caches of arms and ammunition.
An ULFA militant, identified as Jibesh Chakraborty
alias Kaku, was arrested in a joint operation launched
by the Boitamari Police and CRPF from Salbari village under Boitamari
Police out post in Bongaigaon District. Police sources said Jibesh
entered Bongaigaon after completing 12-day training in Kuklung
forest.
Police arrested three persons for extorting money
from businessmen in the Haflong market of North Cachar Hills District.
Police said the trio were linkmen of some militant outfits who
had been sent to collect the extortion money.
June 25
A joint team of the Police and Army shot dead
a NDFB militant, identified as Rajesh Basumatary (25), at Serfanguri
under Bassugaon Police Station in Chirang District. One 7.62-mm
pistol, a Chinese grenade, six live cartridges and five copies
of extortion notes were recovered from the possession of the slain
militant.
One ULFA militant was shot dead in an encounter
with the SFs near Sukurbaria Bazaar under Rani Police outpost
in Kamrup District. The Additional Superintendent of Police of
Kamrup District, S. Deka, said the slain militant, who appeared
to be in his early twenties, could not be identified. One pistol,
a grenade and incriminating documents were recovered from his
possession.
The 12-hour Assam bandh (shutdown) called
by the ULFA in protest against what it alleged custodial deaths
of the ULFA, NDFB and BW cadres during the past few months, evoked
mixed response. In Guwahati, the bandh had a mixed response, with
most of the shops and business establishments downing their shutters
and commercial vehicles remaining off the roads, but private vehicles
continued to ply. The bandh was, however, total and peaceful in
most parts of the State.
Quoting highly placed security sources, Assam
Tribune reported that the ULFA, anti-talks faction of the
NDFB and the BW outfits have joined hands as they were under pressure
from the on going operation against them by Security Forces. Sources
said that at present ULFA cadres led by Hira Sarania are reportedly
moving around in the areas bordering Bhutan in the Chirang and
Baska Districts and they may try to trigger explosions with the
help of the anti-talks faction of the NDFB. Sources also said
the Black Widow group has established ties with the anti-talks
faction of the NDFB. There have also been reports that a few Black
Widow militants have managed to go to Bangladesh along with cadres
of the anti-talks faction of the NDFB.
A suspected linkman of the BW, identified as Jitumoni
Kemprai (55), was shot dead in an encounter with the SFs near
Diduki village under Maibang Police Station in North Cachar Hills
District. One SLR rifle was recovered from the encounter site.
Unidentified militants, suspected to be former
BLT cadres, shot at one Ajit Narzary (25) of Nillaijhara village
under Gossaigaon sub-division in Kokrajhar District. According
to sources, Narzary's younger brother is a NDFB militant.
June 26
Suspected militants belonging to the Zeme Naga
community attacked Digorkro, a Dimasa-inhabited village, 40 kilometres
from Maibong in North Cachar Hills District, killing a teenaged
boy and injuring an elderly person, besides torching over a hundred
houses. According to Police, the attackers stormed the village
around 8am (IST) and fired on those who came out of their houses
or tried to flee. A Class IX student, Nidesh Haflongbar (15),
was killed and 90-year-old Jonham Naiding seriously injured. The
militants also set 115 of the 120 houses on fire.
Two unidentified KLNLF militants were shot dead
in an encounter with SFs at Bogapani area under Howraghat Police
Station in Karbi Anglong District. One 9-mm Pistol and one IED
were recovered from the possession of the slain militants.
June 27
Unidentified militants set ablaze a semi-thatched
house owned by a person belonging to the Zeme Naga tribe at Haflong
of North Cachar Hills District.
SF personnel arrested three NDFB militants from
Bamunditari village under Mukalmua Police Station in Nalbari District.
The arrested militants have been identified as Anima Brahma of
Dhubri District, Bilasi Daimari of Sonitpur District, both woman
cadres of the outfit and Samin Swargiari of Baksa District. An
Australia-made grenade, 44 rounds of live ammunition of AK-47
rifle, 20 rounds of live ammunition of SLR assault rifle, 20 rounds
live ammunition of 9mm pistol with some incriminating documents
were recovered from the house of one Jogesh Basumatary, the headmaster
of Bamunditari Bodo Tribal Primary School, in whose house the
militants were taking shelter. Police also arrested Jogesh Basumatary
in this connection.
SF personnel arrested one Methewal Daimary, a
NDFB militant, from Kekohati area in Rangiya subdivision of Kamrup
District. A grenade was recovered from his possession.
A NDFB linkman, identified as Binod Bakti (32),
was arrested by Police at Samaguri village under Sootea Police
Station in Sonitpur District. According to police sources, Binod
was a linkman and collected the extortion money from people on
behalf of the NDFB.
Police arrested a ULFA linkman, identified as
Gautom Hajong (38), from Aidoba village under Mankachar Police
Station in the Dhubri District.
June 28
Two KLNLF militants were shot dead at Miki Basti
in the Karbi Anglong District. Eight rounds of ammunition and
two pistols were recovered from the possession of the slain militants.
Two KLNLF militants were arrested from the Gohpur
area of the same District.
A group of militants set ablaze the houses owned
by Zeme-Naga tribals but rented out to people of other communities
at Beldura under Haflong Police Station area of North Cachar Hills
District. However, there was no casualty.
SFs arrested two MULTA militants from Patradisa,
about four kilometres from the Bakalaiaghat Police Station in
Nagaon District. The duo was identified as Nijam Uddin Ahmed (19)
and Mustaque Ahmed (20) of Uttarsamurali area under Murazhar Police
Station. Eight detonators, four safety fuse wires and two kilograms
of explosive materials were recovered from their possession.
A handmade bomb weighing about five kilograms
was recovered by Police from the residence of one Sokendor Ali
of Baniamari village under Golokganj Police Station in Dhubri
District.
Army personnel arrested one ULFA militant, identified
as 28-year old Dipen Bailung alias Malikto Bailung, from Dikhoumukh
area in Sivasagar District. During interrogation, he confessed
to being involved in regrouping activities and extortion in Sivasagar
District under the command of ULFA's 'sergeant' Nomal Gogoi, who
has reportedly been operating in the Assam-Nagaland border region.
June 29
The headman of a Dimasa village, Ravi Naray Langthasa,
sustained bullet injury when unidentified militants shot at him
in the Yeah village around 15 kilometres from Maibong in North
Cachar Hills District.
June 30
NDFB militants shot dead four persons of a family
at Naharani Grant village under Rangapara Police Station of Sonitpur
District in the night. The OIC of Rangapara Police Station, Tapas
Chakrabarty, said that four motorcycle-borne NDFB militants with
AK series rifles entered the house of Munna Pal at about 11.30
pm (IST) and indiscriminately fired on the family. The deceased
persons were identified as Munna Pal (30), his wife Subhapati
Pal (35), younger brother Tunna Pal (30) and his three-year old
son Pankaj Pal. Munna Pal, a milkman by profession, was living
in the area for the last many years.
An Assam Police trooper, Gadadhar Roy, sustained
bullet injury in an encounter with militants at Choto Ninglow
area in the North Cachar Hills District.
July 1
Unidentified militants shot dead four children
and a 25 year-old woman at Semkhor village under Maibong Police
Station in the North Cachar Hills District. Three others were
injured in the incident. A Police source said that all the victims
were from the Dimasa tribe. The deceased were identified as Karong
Thonglo, Lambo Langthasa, Warsi Thonglo, Depola Langthasa, and
Senring Langthasa. With these killings, the death toll in the
continuing ethnic strife in the North Cachar Hills District has
gone up to 55 since March 19.
Five unidentified militants were shot dead in
an encounter between the SF personnel and a group of militants
at Dehikata Reserve Forest under Mornai Police Station in Goalpara
District. A revolver, two 7.65 pistols, a 9-mm pistol, a 12 bore
gun (all factory made), a factory made hand grenade, 19 rounds
of live ammunition and eight rounds of empty cases were recovered
from the possession of the slain militants.
The pro-talks faction of the ULFA sounded an alert
and beefed up security at its camps in the upper Assam region
following reports through its "own channels" that the outfit was
attempting to carry out strikes in the area, including on its
members. The pro-talks faction also cautioned the State Government
about ULFA's plan to carry out the attacks in August 2009. Prabal
Neog, a leader of the pro-talks faction, told Telegraph, "Many
cadres (of ULFA) have already entered Tinsukia District from the
Myanmar camps via Arunachal Pradesh and have started distributing
extortion notices. We have information about ULFA trying desperately
to carry out strikes. If not on Security Forces, it may be Hindi-speaking
settlements and us. We have tightened security in our camps."
Jiten Dutta, another pro-talks leader, said most of the ULFA militants
who had entered Tinsukia recently were recruited by him just a
few months before they declared a cease-fire in June 2008. "They
are fully trained now and have been sent by the leadership to
carry out strikes," he added.
July 2
The Union Government banned the BW outfit in the
wake of its involvement in the recent violence in Assam. The decision
was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, headed
by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.
July 3
SFs shot dead a NSCN-IM militant in the Naga-dominated
Choto Ninglo village under Mahur Police Station in the North Cachar
Hills District around 9 am (IST). Police sources said a group
of militants started firing on the Army patrolling team in the
Choto Ninglo village and Army personnel retaliated, killing one
of the militants during the encounter that lasted more than 20
minutes. Another militant was injured, but he managed to flee,
an unnamed official added. The Army later recovered the body of
the Naga youth who is yet to be identified. Two 12 bore rifles,
12 cartridges and some ammunition of AK series rifles were recovered
from his possession.
Dilip Nunisa, the leader of pro-peace faction
of the DHD, condemned the two factions of NSCN for launching serial
attacks on Dimasa villages in the last few months in the North
Cachar Hills District. It was reported that Dilip Nunisa, in a
press conference, directly blamed both the NSCN factions for attacking
Dimasa people with an evil eye to trigger a racial war between
the two communities. But he also admitted that some elements among
the Dimasa people have also joined the fight against the Zeme
Nagas and are hell bent on defending their own tribe.
July 6
A self styled "sergeant"
of the ULFA, identified as Deepshikha Baruah alias Bohagi
Baruah (35), a resident of Himpora village under Moranhat Police
Station in Sivasagar District, was arrested by the SFs on from
Rongapathar village under Sonari Police Station. A revolver and
an IED were recovered from Baruah who belongs to the Bravo Company
of ULFA’s 28th battalion. The Sivasagar District Superintendent
of Police, Shyamal Prasad Saikia, said that Baruah confessed that
"the outfit has plans to hit certain specific targets in
the run-up to Independence Day to once again prove its existence."
A senior Army officer, Lieutenant Colonel S. Banerjee, who was
leading the Army troops, was injured in his leg when Baruah fired
at him from a revolver.
One ULFA linkman, Parth Pratim
Saikia, was arrested by Police from Chowkidingee area of Dibrugarh
District.
The NDFB claimed to have received
INR five million from the BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary ahead of
the 2006 Legislative Assembly elections to help the BPF. The claim
comes within days of the Opposition demanding Mohilary’s arrest
for — by his own admission earlier — having paid the NDFB. Mohilary,
however, had immediately refuted the opposition’s charge saying
he had been misquoted. In a press statement issued by the outfit’s
‘assistant information’ and ‘publicity secretary’ R. Daokha, the
NDFB claimed receiving INR five million in cash to work in favour
of the BPF in the 2006 Assembly elections. The amount was received
by M. Gerema, the ‘organising secretary’, and ‘B. Bengga’, the
speaker of the NDFB," the statement ‘added.
July 7
Three persons, including a woman
and a child, were killed in two separate incidents in the North
Cachar Hills District. While Joykumar Warisa (7) and his mother
Anjana Warisa were shot dead by suspected Naga militants near
Haflong, Ganan Langthasa was shot dead near Maibong.
A ULFA militant, identified as
Jitu Medhi, was shot dead in an encounter with the Police at Amsoi
along the border of Nagaon and Karbi Anglong District.
An employee of the Oil India Limited
has claimed that unidentified militants abducted him from Guwahati
city on July 2, took him to a hideout in Nepal and then later
set him free after realising it to be a case of mistaken identity.
Rajen Gogoi (47), who went missing on July 2 but returned safely
in the night of July 5, told Police that he was abducted by two
militants from near Standard Chartered Bank in Guwahati but released
unharmed somewhere in Nepal after they realised that they had
kidnapped the "wrong" person.
July 8
A bomb blast occurred at a scrap
dumping ground in the Durgabari area of Tinsukia town at around
4.30pm (IST). However, no causality was reported. Police is yet
to ascertain the cause of the blast.
SFs arrested six unidentified
Naga militants and a gaonbura (village headman) in Impoi, around
13 kilometers from Mahur town in North Cachar Hills District.
Police said the group was suspected to be involved in the ethnic
clashes between the Dimasas and Zeme Nagas that has been continuing
in the District. Four improvised explosive devices, a 20-foot
flexible wire, 37 bullets, six guns; including three SBBL and
a 12-Volt battery were recovered from their possession.
Shillong Times reports
that the ULFA has regrouped its 28th battalion in a base in Myanmar
close to the border to step up its activities in the eastern Assam's
industrial and tea belt. Security sources said the outfit had
appointed Bijoy Chinese as the 'operation commander' of the revamped
‘28th battalion’, which had been virtually rendered defunct after
its ‘A’ and ‘C’ companies entered into a truce with the Government
in June 2008 and its cadres taken shelter in designated camps.
Some of the senior leaders of the outfit have reportedly taken
shelter in Mon District of Nagaland to carry out specific strikes
in eastern Assam areas before Independence Day.
Central intelligence agencies
have cautioned about a "rejuvenated" ULFA carrying out
a massive fund collection drive from the business establishments
located along Assam’s boundary with Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
According to an intelligence report from upper Assam, several
businessmen paying extortion money to the ULFA were doings so
in installments. Sources in the agency said the sum in the demand
notes served to the traders varied between INR 200000 and INR
2000000.
July 9
A businessman who doubled as an
informer of the SFs was shot dead by the NDFB militants at Balipathar
in the Bokajan area of Karbi Anglong District. Businessman Rukman
Ali (27) alias Akojan Ali alias Motu, was shot dead
while he was walking towards the Balipathar market on National
Highway 39. Sources said the militants, lying in wait, fired at
him when he got down from an Army vehicle and was walking towards
the market. Motu had been providing information on NDFB’s activities
to SFs operating in Karbi Anglong for several months. He was a
resident of Bangrung Basti near Balipathar.
The SFs shot dead an unidentified
NDFB militant at Dapdapi Izampur village under Rangapara Police
Station in Sonitpur District who was allegedly involved in the
recent killings of four persons, including an infant and a woman
of a Hindi-speaking family in the District. On June 30, the Hindi-speaking
family were shot dead by NDFB militants at No. 1 Nahorani Grant
under Rangapara Police Station. A 9-mm pistol, ammunition and
incriminating documents were recovered from the possession of
the slain militant.
A high ranking ‘second lieutenant’
and ‘commander’ of ‘27th Battalion’ of the ULFA , Manik Saikia
(38), a resident of Sootea Sapekhati Gaon under Sootea Police
Station in Sonitpur District, surrendered in front of the Superintendent
of Police of Sonitpur District. He deposited a 9-mm pistol and
some bullets at the time of his surrender. He also confessed that
he had joined the ULFA in 1990.
The Guwahati city Police arrested
a ULFA extortionist, Raju Koch, at Ganeshguri area of Guwahati
when he came to collect extortion money from a business firm.
Police said Koch had served an extortion note on an ULFA letterhead
to the firm demanding INR 500000. Koch belongs to Nazira in the
Sivasagar District.
July 10
Two ULFA militants were shot dead
in an encounter with SFs at Nasatra village in Barpeta District.
The Gaonburah (village headmen) of the village along with his
wife and daughter were arrested for sheltering militants in his
home. One of the slain militants was identified as Pingal Deka.
Meanwhile, Shillong Times reports that the other militant
was identified as Tinku Deka.
A PREPAK militant, identified
as Dharambir Singh alias Idomcha (30), hailing from Jiribum
of Uchathal, was arrested by the Army personnel from the Jiribum
bridge area of Cachar District at around 3.20 pm (IST). A Chinese
made pistol, 9-mm magazine and three bullets were recovered from
his possession.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram
ruled out the possibility of the signing cease-fire pact with
any militant outfit unless it lays down arms and abjures violence.
Clarifying Union Government’s policy, the Union Home Minister,
who was replying to a Calling Attention Motion in the Rajya Sabha
(Upper House of the parliament) on the ethnic killings in North
Cachar Hills, said, "Since I took over, I have not entertained
this kind of ceasefire. A militant group cannot offer ceasefire
to a sovereign Government. A militant group must abjure the path
of violence, surrender and lay down arms and then we can talk
about any other problem they may have," Chidambaram said.
July 12
Prasenjit Lahary alias La
Fanjari, a surrendered NDFB ‘commander’, was injured when a suspected
NDFB cadre opened fire at Morisuti under Charduar Police Station
in Sonitpur District.
The Army troopers and Police arrested
a ULFA militant, identified as S. S. Bhola Gogoi, at Shimalguri
under Bihpuria Police Station in the Lakhimpur District. One German
.38 revolver with two live rounds, one Nokia mobile phone and
incriminating documents were recovered from his possession. During
interrogation, Bhola Gogoi confessed that he worked as an active
cadre of the 28th Battalion of the ULFA and is the son of one
Uttam Gogoi, a resident of Saraimoria in the North Lakhimpur District.
The BW group served an extortion
note of INR 20 million on the Kopili hydro-electric project of
NEEPCO at Umrangsu in North Cachar Hills District. The note sent
by post is the first major extortion demand of the outfit since
the recent arrest of its ‘chief’ Jewel Gorlosa and ‘deputy commander-in-chief’
Partha Warisa. Umrangsu Police said the Deputy General Manager
of NEEPCO, Tulsi Barua, had filed a complaint with Umrangsu Police
Station in the same afternoon and handed over the extortion note.
July 13
An Army Colonel, Perumal, and
a trooper were killed in an IED blast at Chariduar near Bhalukpung
in the Sonitpur District. Defence sources said the blast took
place at Chariduar at around 6.30am (IST) when the Army official
from the medical corps and the troopers were accompanying an ambulance
from Sonitpur to Tenga in Arunachal Pradesh. The SFs suspect the
involvement of a NDFB militant, identified as Gandhi, behind the
bomb blast. A senior Police official said Gandhi was out to trigger
blasts targeting Police Stations and SF personnel in Guwahati
as well as in Sonitpur and Dhemaji Districts, following instructions
of NDFB ‘chief’ Ranjan Daimary.
According to official figures
placed in the Legislative Assembly, 43 NDFB militants have been
killed in encounters with the SFs between March 1 and June 30,
2009.
18 houses belonging to villagers
of Dimasas tribe were set ablaze by suspected Zeme Naga militants
at Hadingma, around 65 kilometers from Haflong, in the North Cachar
Hills District. However, there were no casualties reported.
July 16
Two NDFB militants, identified
as Thaneswar Basumatary and Janeswar Basumatary, were arrested
under Birubari Police outpost in Guwahati.
July 17
Two unidentified NDFB militants
were shot dead in an encounter with the Police and Army at Bashbari
area under Kokrajhar Police Station in the Kokrajhar District
around 5.30 am (IST).
Five NDFB cadres suspected to
be involved in the IED blast of July 13 at Agharomile near Bhalukpung
in Sonitpur District in which two Army personnel were killed have
been arrested. They were identified as Jayanta Boro (21), Ananta
Daimari (23), Gormai Daimari (25), Debajit Das and Faguna Boro.
July 18
Around 25 houses were set ablaze by Zeme Naga
militants at Joypur-Sanpur Dimasa village under Lakhipur subdivision,
42 kilometers away from the Silchar in Cachar District. Sources
said militants of the NSCN-K outfit of Nagaland are suspected
to be involved in the incident. The area comes under the Kanakpur
Dholaiera Gram Panchayat (village level local-self Government)
which is situated in the border area of Cachar and North Cachar
Hills District. Amal Kanti Barman, president of Dimasa Society
Development Organisation, said that the group of 50 cadres belonged
to the NSCN-K faction.
July 19
SFs shot dead a NDFB militant
at Kahitima forest near Labdanguri in Baksa District.
Police arrested Indrajeet Bania,
a top ranking militant of the 27th battalion of ULFA,
from his rented house in the Gandhibasti area in Guwahati. Police
also recovered an IED from the house. According to Assam Police,
he was planning to trigger a high-intensity blast in Guwahati
in the next few days. Meanwhile, the Police sounded an alert on
July 18 that the ULFA was planning to trigger a blast in Guwahati
with the help of a student.
July 20
SF personnel shot dead three NSCN-IM militants
at Harmoti village near Nijlaluk in the North Lakhimpur District,
bordering the State of Arunachal Pradesh. The slain militants
were identified as 'sergeant' Nameng Kobin, 'sergeant' Babang
Bake and Bhai. Three 9-mm pistols, ammunition and SIM cards were
also recovered from their possession. "These militants were operating
from Arunachal Pradesh and frequently entering Assam on specific
operations like recruitment of cadres and sabotage activities,"
Lakhimpur Superintendent of Police S.A. Karim said, adding that
there were reports of the militants trying to carry out attacks
in Assam prior to the Independence Day on August 15.
SF personnel shot dead a NDFB militant, suspected
to have been involved in the killing of a Colonel in Sonitpur
District on July 13, at Lalmati on the outskirts of Guwahati city,
on a hill close to the Assam-Meghalaya border in the same afternoon.
"When the Security personnel spotted a group of militants, comprising
three to four members, and asked them to stop, they opened fire
on the SFs and tried to escape. One of them was killed in the
retaliatory fire while his accomplices fled the spot," Additional
Superintendent of Police Debajit Deori said. The militants also
lobbed a grenade at the troops but it did not explode. A pistol
was recovered from the possession of the slain militant, he added.
Military Intelligence sources identified the slain militant as
Gathon Narzary, a 'sergeant major' of the anti-talks faction of
the NDFB, which is controlled by Ranjan Daimary. Narzary is suspected
to be involved in the July 13 blast at Chariduar reserve forest
in Sonitpur district in which an Army Colonel and his driver were
killed.
SFs seized a detailed sketch of Dibrugarh Airport
along with a large quantity of explosives from a ULFA hideout
in a dense jungle at Seesabil under Tingkhong Police Station in
the Dibrugarh District. Some other sketches, which appeared to
be of bridges and oil and gas pipelines, were also found at the
hideout. The recoveries include around three kilogram of TNT,
one and half kilogram of RDX, five gelatin sticks, a hand grenade,
a handmade pistol, 55 rounds of AK-series ammunition, three rounds
of .303 rifle ammunition, extortion notes, camouflage uniforms
and medicines. "ULFA could be planning something big ahead of
its martyrs' day on July 28 and Independence Day on August 15,"
a senior Police Official said. "We have asked Oil India Limited,
Assam Gas Company Limited and Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation
Limited to be extra cautious after today's haul," he added.
The CBI arrested an ULFA cadre of the pro-talks
faction, Bhaskar Rajbonshi, from the Nalbari designated camp in
connection with abduction and killing case of Food Corporation
of India Executive Director P.C. Ram.
The 12-hour Assam shutdown called by the NDFB
in protest against the sporadic killings of common people in the
name of NDFB passed off peacefully. However, all business establishments
and Government offices were closed while all kinds of vehicles
went off the road during the shutdown in Kokrajhar District. However,
no untoward incident was reported from any part of the District.
In response to a question by Aditya Langthasa
of the Assam United Democratic Front in the State Assembly, Forest
Minister Rockybul Hussain said that more than 12,000 people displaced
by the ethnic violence in North Cachar Hills District are still
living in relief camps and the violence has claimed 63 lives since
March 2009. Hussain, who was replying on behalf of the Chief Minister,
said the clashes between Dimasa and Zeme Naga people started on
March 19, 2009 and so far, more than 540 houses have been burnt
down. He said efforts are on to bring the situation under control
with the deployment of additional forces and the administration
has also held talks with the leaders of the both the communities
to instill confidence in the minds of the people.
July 21
The ULFA militants shot dead a surrendered cadre,
Hazong Rabha, and his wife Nalani Rabha, at their Nalanga Pahartoli
residence under Baguwan Police Station in Goalpara District. Assam
Police sources said the SULFA cadre, who surrendered and joined
the mainstream in 2005, had been leading a normal life after marrying
Nalani in 2006. He was engaged in coal trade since laying down
arms. Suspected ULFA militants had also killed Hazong Rabha's
uncle and his wife in the night of July 6 at their residence nearly
500 metres away from their hilltop house. Baguwan Police, however,
denied that the incident had any link with militant groups.
A handmade pistol was recovered by Government
Railway Police personnel from the lavatory of a coach of New Delhi-bound
Brahmaputra Mail during a routine check at Guwahati railway station.
Police arrested one Achyut Deka from Ghograpar
area of Nalbari District at around 11 pm (IST) in the night, who
was trying to extort money from people in the disguise of ULFA.
Sources said that Deka had served an extortion note of INR 500000
to Dr Pranabjyoti Deka, a local physician. The doctor while informing
the Police asked Achyut to collect the money. The Police laid
a trap and arrested Achyut while his accomplice Montu Ali managed
to flee. The Police also recovered a motorbike on which they had
come. Achyut hails from Karbaitola village under Nalbari Police
Station.
Quoting intelligence sources, Sentinel
has reported that the ULFA planned to use women cadres for subversive
activities during the forthcoming Independence Day celebrations
on August 15. According to sources, a group of women cadres has
entered Jorhat District from the border areas of Golaghat to carry
out subversion. The Police in five upper Assam Districts have
already intensified security measures on receiving this information.
The one-man inquiry commission headed by Justice
(retired) R. K. Manisana Singh in its report has exposed the nexus
between politicians and militants in misappropriation and diversion
of development funds in the violence-ravaged North Cachar Hill
District. "There was an agreement between leaders of BW and leaders
of the ASDC-BJP Executive Committee that the alliance would pay
INR 20 million to the BW leaders if the alliance came to power
(in December 2007 North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council election),"
the report added. The commission was formed by Assam Government
on June 20 2008, to probe into 'collusion' of the BW with members
of the ASDC-BJP in capturing power in the NCHAC and also 'misappropriation'
of NCHAC development fund. The commission had submitted its report
before the State Government on February 19, 2009. The Assam Government
placed the inquiry commission report before the Legislative Assembly
on July 21 along with the Action Taken Report which states that
the State Government has accepted the observations of the Commission.
However, the commission failed to identify or fix responsibility
on any individual or individuals for the misappropriation. The
State Government, acting on the commission's recommendations,
has already formed an expert committee for monitoring the funds
sanctioned and released by the Government for the NCHAC.
SFs engaged in counter-insurgency operations in
Assam have marked out Borpung area in the Karbi Anglong District
for a major operation to uproot ULFA training camps. Most of the
newly recruited cadres were reportedly being trained in Borpung
area. The training camps - the only ones now left in Assam - are
being run by the 27th battalion of ULFA headed by Samrat Borgohain.
Official sources said almost all the new recruits to the ULFA
in recent times, especially from upper and central Assam Districts,
were being trained at these camps, located beyond Chokihola in
Karbi Anglong District. Indrajit Bania alias Rahul, an ULFA militant,
who was arrested from Guwahati on July 19 also confessed during
interrogation that he had undergone a month long training at Borpung.
July 22
A new militant outfit, the NLCTL, is reportedly
trying to expand in Arunachal Pradesh and the border areas of
Assam-Arunachal Pradesh. According to official sources, the NLCTL
has served extortion notes of INR 20 million to a section of railway
contractors engaged in laying of railway tracks in Arunachal Pradesh.
The sources claimed that they have sent their cadres to the NSCN-K
for arms training and in return paid a hefty sum of money. Police
of both the States have been on their trail since the receipt
of input that trained cadres of NLCTL are trying to sneak into
Arunachal Pradesh in batches with heavy arms and ammunition through
the porous border with the intention of carrying out disruptive
activities prior to Independence Day on August 15.
Assam Tribune quoting the Union Home Minister
P. Chidambaram reports that the BW outfit may soon lay down arms
to come forward for talks with the Government. This was disclosed
by Chidambaram while replying to the debate on the demand for
grant for the Ministry of Home Affairs in Parliament. Chidambaram
said the Union Government had given a pre-condition to the militants
to come for talks and as per the same, the militants would have
to abjure violence, lay down arms and stay in the designated camps
to come for talks. He said the Government received signals that
the BW is willing to come forward for talks by abiding by the
preconditions laid down by the Government.
The Union Government confirmed reports that self-styled
'commander-in-chief' of ULFA, Paresh Baruah, may have moved out
of Bangladesh for some time. The Union Minister of State for Home
Affairs, Mullapally Ramachandran, was replying to a question in
Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) on reports of Baruah
moving to China. However, details in this regard are not available,
the Minister added. The Minister also confirmed that a fresh list
of prominent militant leaders and criminals based in Bangladesh
including those against whom Red Corner Notice have been issued
has been handed over to Director General of Bangladesh Rifles
(BDR) during the recent Director General level Border Coordination
Conference at Dhaka from July 11-14.
July 23
The BPF youth leader Issakak Narza (38) was shot
dead by unidentified militants at his residence in Datgari along
the India-Bhutan border under Runikhata border out post in Chirang
District.
An unidentified ULFA militant was arrested following
an encounter with the Security Forces in Nagaon District.
The three militants shot dead in an encounter
at Harmoti village in North Lakhimpur District of Assam on July
19, reportedly belonged to a now-defunct militant outfit from
Arunachal Pradesh and not the National Socialist Council of Nagaland
- Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) as was presumed earlier. According to
the Arunachal Pradesh Police, the slain militants, Bamang Bake,
Dongchi Tacho and Nglyang Kobin, earlier belonged to the National
Liberation Front of Arunachal (NLFA). After the NLFA became defunct,
they formed the United Socialist Council of Arunachal (USCA) with
the help of NSCN-IM in 2004 and ran extortion rackets in and around
the capital town of Itanagar.
July 24
Juggu Praza, a former General Secretary of the
Golaghat District unit of the ruling Congress party and ex-chairman
of Sarupather Regional Panchayat (village-level local self Government
institution), was shot dead by unidentified militants dressed
in Army fatigues in his residence at Nowjan in the Dhansiri sub-division
of Golaghat District in the night.
A ULFA militant was shot dead while two others
managed to escape during an encounter with SFs in the Bairagi
area under Pathacharkuchi Police Station of Barpeta District in
the morning. One US-made pistol and seven bullets were recovered
from the slain militant's possession.
Dipok Gurung (32), a manager at the Institute
of Integrated Rural Management (Dhekiajuli branch), was abducted
by unidentified militants from Jurpukhuri village under Dhekiajuli
Police Station in Sonitpur District.
The Army personnel recovered an IED weighing about
three kilograms from the embankment of river Nonoi at village
Hapamara near Mahaliapara under Khairabari Police Station in Darrang
District. According to Security Forces, the IED was planted with
a view to explode before the Martyr's Day of the ULFA scheduled
on July 27.
Police recovered two hand-made guns and ammunition
from a jungle under Baithalangshu Police Station in Karbi Anglong
District. Three persons were also arrested for questioning.
A NDFB cadre, identified as Suren Boro (37), was
arrested at Balijuri Hangamahpur village under Sootea Police Station
in Sonitpur District.
Quoting an official source in the Home Department
of Assam, Telegraph said an alert was announced about the plans
of a 300-member group of youths to sneak into the State for carrying
out subversive activities after being trained by Maoist rebels
in Jharkhand over the past three years. An official in the Home
Department said these youths, most of them members of an organisation
ostensibly espousing the cause of farmers and also believed to
be a frontal organisation of ULFA, had left Assam during 2006-2007.
"Most of these youths are from areas where the organisation was
active till a few months back. Now it is trying to form District-level
committees throughout the state. Most of these youths are from
Golaghat and Nagaon Districts. We have names of some of them who
had disappeared since 2006. Some of these youths may have even
been taking shelter in the Lalgarh area of West Bengal, which
was till a few days back a stronghold of Maoist rebels," the official
said. He said there were reports of the ULFA striking a deal with
the Maoists and that these trained youths had been assigned to
carry out subversive activities in the State. "ULFA has been trying
since long to work together with the Maoist rebels operating in
India, who have links with China," the official added. Sources
said the organisation had strong bases in the Doyang and Tengani
areas of Golaghat District and Kaki in Nagaon District. "We also
have information that arms for these youths may have already arrived
in the state. We are keeping a close watch on these areas," he
added further.
Police claimed that Rabiram Basumatary, the driver
of FCI Executive Director P.C. Ram, was a key accused in his abduction
and murder. Rabiram's brother, Dhiren Basumatary, is one of the
six persons arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in
this case so far. The Police claimed that Dhiren was a member
of the sleeper cell of the NDFB and he, with his brother, had
plotted Ram's abduction for ransom. While Rabiram committed suicide
in a toilet of the FCI's regional office on GS Road in Guwahati
in May 2009, Dhiren was arrested by a joint team of the CBI and
Assam Police from Kumarikata in Baksa District in June 2009.
July 25
The Police arrested Odang Wary, a Constable of
the Assam Police and four former BLT cadres in connection with
hijacking of three vehicles and abduction of the drivers in Chirang
District.
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.
Police arrested a 'sergeant major' of the KYKL,
Oinam Nalendra Singh, and a linkman, Rajkumar Premjit, from an
unspecified location of Guwahati city.
The SFs arrested one ULFA militant, identified
as Upen Sarma, from Punia village under Mangaldai Police Station
in Darrang District.
July 26
The Army personnel recovered a cache of explosives
from an adjacent location of the Upper Dehing Reserve Forest under
Digboi Police Station in Tinsukia District. Sources said the explosives
were stored by the ULFA to trigger blasts ahead of the outfit's
'martyrs' day' on July 28 or on the nation's Independence Day
(August 15).
Two ULFA linkmen, Sadhuram Koch and Jayanta Hasong,
were arrested from Majari village in Dhubri District along the
Assam-Meghalaya border.
Sentinel reports that south India has become
the new destination for militant outfits from the Northeast with
intelligence inputs indicating that militant leaders from the
region were taking shelter in cities down south, especially Bangalore,
capital of Karnataka, following intense pressure from the SFs.
Leaders of militant outfits from Assam, like the ULFA and the
NDFB, have made some south Indian cities their new bases. "We
have definite reports of some senior and middle level leaders
of the ULFA and the NDFB escaping from Assam and taking shelter
in South India. We cannot divulge any more details about the cities
and other information for Security reasons," the DGP G. M. Srivastava
said. "We are in touch with our counterparts in South India to
zero in on the militant leaders based in those cities," he added.
Bangalore is one such city linked to militant outfits from the
Northeast. In June 2009, two senior leaders of the BW, a militant
outfit from Assam, including its 'commander-in-chief' Jewel Garlosa,
were arrested from that city. Earlier in July 2009, Police arrested
Roshan Ali alias Anees Mohammad, leader of the Manipur-based PULF,
at Singanapalya near Mahadevpura in Bangalore. Ali reportedly
moved to Bangalore in 2008 and worked as a security guard for
a Multi-National Company.
July 27
Police recovered a 9-mm pistol with four rounds
of ammunition from Diphu in the Karbi Anglong District, which
was suspected to have been used by militants to kill a businessman,
Gopal Parikh of Bokajan, in June 2009.
The Assam Government has ruled out renaming the
North Cachar Hills District - one of the key demands raised by
the BW outfit. The BW wants the District to be renamed as Dima
Hasao. The Urban Development Minister D. P. Goala told Telegraph
that a committee, headed by him and constituted to examine the
issue, in its report submitted recently has pointed out the difficulties
in renaming the District because non-Dimasas constitute the majority
in the District. "We have examined every aspect of the proposal
to rename the District. We have pointed out the difficulties in
renaming the district as the Dimasas constitute only 43 per cent
of the total population," Goala said. The other members of the
committee include ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and Rockybul Hussain.
Home Commissioner R.K. Bora was the convenor of the committee,
he added. Sources in the Chief Minister's office said renaming
the District according to the BW's wishes would only escalate
ethnic tension between the Dimasas and non-Dimasas in the District.
The non-Dimasas are opposed to the name proposed by the BW.
July 28
Suspected Naga militants shot dead two Dimasa
farmers in the Sobujai villager under Maibong sub-division of
North Cachar Hills District. Sources said that a group of militants
came to the village and opened indiscriminate fire on farmers
who were working in the paddy field.
Suspected militants of the BRTF shot dead one
cease-fire group of NDFB militant and injured another at Katrighacha
village under Kokrajhar Police Station in the Kokrajhar District
at about 7.45am (IST). The slain militant was, identified as Tarun
Basumatary (27), while the wounded was, identified as Birglang
alias Bilu Goyary (24). Meanwhile, the 'Commanding Officer' of
the 2nd Battalion of the NDFB, B. Bwlwgwra said that Tarun Basumatary
was on a medical leave for his treatment from Serfanguri designated
camp and Birglang accompanied him on a bike.
The Border Security Force personnel arrested two
NDFB linkmen, identified as Nripen Rabha (31) and Tapan Rabha
(22), from Belguri village in the Kamrup District.
Assam Tribune quoting the Union Government
sources reports that there is no immediate plan to start a political
dialogue with the NDFB, as its rival faction is on the run. Union
Home Secretary, G. K. Pillai, during a workshop on 'Governance
and Security: India's North-east and Bangladesh' at Jamia Milia
Islamia University in New Delhi said that the Union Government
is keeping a close watch on the situation in the State. The Home
Secretary, meanwhile, will arrive in Assam on July 30 on a day-long
visit to take stock of the situation in the volatile North Cachar
Hill District.
July 29
The SFs personnel recovered three powerful bombs
and one Nurul Amin was arrested in this connection from Lakhipur
area of Goalpara District.
A ULFA militant, identified as Bastav Bora alias
Rupjyoti Gogoi, was arrested by the SFs from a restaurant near
the Assam Medical College in Dibrugarh District. A hand grenade,
three kilograms of TNT and other explosives materials were recovered
from his possession.
The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced
that the Government would take care of the treatment of ULFA 'commander-in-chief'
Paresh Baruah if he surrenders, reports Assam Tribune.
Talking to media persons in Guwahati, Gogoi said the Government
does not have conformed news of the sickness of the ULFA leader.
"We have seen media reports in this regard, but we are not in
a position to confirm or deny the reports." Gogoi also said the
BW outfit has expressed its desire to come forward for talks but
the Government would take a final decision in this regard in consultation
with the Union Government. The Union Home Secretary G. K. Pillai
is scheduled to arrive in Assam on July 30 and the issue will
be discussed, he added.
July 30
A District-level leader of the Rabiram Narzary
faction of the BPPF was shot at by unidentified militants at Gobardhana
in Barpeta District. Sources said Bipul Mushahary (32) of Khagrabari
was shot at from close range by two militants while he was sitting
in his pharmacy at Gobardhana Bazaar around 1.30 pm (IST).
The Government Railway Police personnel recovered
two hand-made guns along with four rounds of live ammunition from
Moriani-Alipurduar passenger train at Lumding in Naogaon District.
However, no arrests have been made.
Police arrested a ULFA linkman, Dilip Gogoi, from
Mohura Ali area in the Golaghat District. Police sources said
Gogoi, along with one Jayanta Baruah, was distributing extortion
notices to businessmen in Golaghat town in the name of the ULFA.
The whereabouts of Jayant is not known, the report added.
Jitul Rajkhowa, president of the Assam Jatiyatabadi
Yuba Chhatra Parishad of Golaghat District sammittee (committee),
was arrested for demanding INR 400000 in the name of the ULFA.
He had reportedly threatened one Mohammad Nurul Sultan, an official
of the District Rural Development Authority Department.
Sentinel reports that a 35-member team
of an unnamed Islamist militant outfit has entered the riverine
island of Majuli in July to carry out subversive activities and
is currently engaged as workers in different Government projects.
Sources said the militants were trying to mobilize their network
in the island and were donning the guise of daily wage earners.
However, another source added that the group might consist of
illegal Bangladeshi migrants who cannot speak Asomiya, which has
resulted in confusion regarding their identity among the local
people.
The ULFA alleged that the killing of senior journalist
Parag Das was a 'pre-planned conspiracy' by the Government which
was evident in the acquittal of the prime accused on July 28.
The ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa said in a statement that
the acquittal of Mridul Phukan, the prime suspect, "was a preplanned
conspiracy" to kill the noted journalist 13 years ago.
The Union Government ruled out any possibilities
of separate Bodo State. The Union Government made its stand clear
that it hardly had anything more to concede after granting the
status of autonomous council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution
to the Bodos. The Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said there
was no question of carving out another State from Assam. "Statehood
is ruled out," he said. Pillai said barring some financial powers
to the council "here and there" there was not much left to concede.
Pillai added that the NDFB did not oblige when it was asked to
join in while the Government was in talks with the BLT. "The request
was conveyed to Ranjan Daimary. We had told them they would lose
an opportunity if they did not join in, but they did not listen,"
he said, further adding if the NDFB thought it would get something
more it was wrong. Meanwhile, the NDFB spokesman S. Sanjarang
told Telegraph that his organisation was not asking for
anything outside the ambit of the Indian Constitution. "We want
a separate state with maximum autonomy and special powers which
is well within the framework of the Constitution," he said.
July 31
The Assam Rifles personnel arrested one MULTA
militant, identified as Gulbahar Mozumdar (28), from a Tezpur-bound
passenger bus near Gatanga under Bebejia Police outpost in Sonitpur.
Five persons were arrested with 2.5 kilograms
of a substance suspected to be uranium from Hatsinghimari in Dhubri
District.
Contractors engaged in setting up a 33 KV Assam
State Electricity Board (ASEB) sub-station at Sriram Sapori village
in Majuli of Jorhat District, fled after receiving extortion notes
from the ULFA. A source said that the ASEB had commissioned the
setting up of two sub-stations - a 132 KV at Garmur and the other
33 KV one at Sriram Sapori under the Rajiv Gandhi Vidyutkaran
Yojana scheme of the Government of India. The two sub-stations
would benefit about 7,000 families living in 200 villages in both
the places. However, work at the 33 KV sub-station is incomplete
following a threat to contractors by the ULFA. The source said
that the contractors fled for fear of their lives after receiving
extortion notes signed by M. Deka Phukan and Bijoy Das belonging
to the '28th Battalion' of the ULFA.
August 1
A 25-year-old Zeme Naga girl was shot dead by
two unidentified militants in the Ramnagar area of Haflong in
the North Cachar Hills District in the morning. Police sources
said the two unidentified militants, traveling in an auto-rickshaw,
followed the girl and shot her dead. The killing occurred a day
after the Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai discussed the situation
in the trouble-torn District with members of the Unified Command,
District Administration officials and leading organisations representing
the Dimasas and the Zeme Nagas.
August 2
Two militants, suspected to be from the Ranjan
Daimary faction of the NDFB, were killed in an encounter with
a joint team of the Police and Army at Santipur Balichari village
under Dhemaji Sadar Police Station in the Dhemaji District. The
Additional Superintendent of Police of Dhemaji, R.K. Handique,
said the encounter occurred around 10.30pm (IST) when the SFs
raided the village after receiving information that some NDFB
cadres had taken shelter there, primarily to carry out extortion.
One of the slain militants was identified as Dudu Doimari alias
Mergang Basumatary. One .38 revolver, a 7.65mm pistol, two Chinese
hand grenades, ammunition, explosives supposedly RDX, documents
and extortion notes were recovered from the encounter site.
The SFs arrested a women cadre of the ULFA, identified
as Rumi Baishya of Hatitari Gaon, at Musalpur under Baksa Police
Station in Baksa District. 23 Aircel and Reliance SIM cards and
various indiscriminating documents were recovered from her possession.
Purnima Baishya and Nirupama Baishya, the aunt and mother of Rumi
respectively, were also arrested for further investigation.
The SFs also arrested two ULFA linkmen, identified
as Himata Sarma alias Deep (19) and his brother Himanshu Sarma
alias Tapan (22), from their residence at Pati Darrang under Mongoldoi
Police Station in Darrang District. One 22-mm locally-made revolver
and two extortion notes of the ULFA were recovered from their
residence.
The KLNLF 'Publicity Secretary' Rezek Bera said
the outfit has set September 2009 as a deadline for the Government
of India to hold peace talks with it, failing which, the group
will attacks Government officials and Hindi-speaking people from
October 2009. Talking to the media, Bera said: "We have submitted
our 11-point charter of demands to the Union Ministry of Home
Affairs. The ministry hasn't accepted six of the 11 demands."
He claimed that the KLNLF still has a big arsenal and a 200-strong
force that is ready to fight.
August 3
Suspected NDFB militants shot dead Galaram Basumatary
alias Laoga Basumatary (30), a former BLT cadre, at his
Nayekgaon residence under Kokrajhar Police Station in the Kokrajhar
District.
SF personnel recovered a cache of explosives from
Ingtigaon, about 35 kilometres from Baithalangso in the Karbi
Anglong District. The recovered explosives included 14 kilograms
of ammonium nitrate, five kilograms guillotine, 50 electric detonators
and 60 metre fuse wire. The consignment is suspected to belong
to the KLNLF. Three persons were arrested for further investigation.
An IED, weighing around two kilograms, was recovered
by Police from the outskirts of the Guwahati city. "The IED was
suspected to be planted by ULFA for subversive activities in the
city in the run-up to the Independence Day (August 15)," Assistant
Superintendent of Police Debijot Deuri said.
The Ranjan Daimary fraction of the NDFB called
a 12-hour Assam bandh (general shutdown) from 5am (IST)
to 5pm on August 5 to protest against what it alleged were systematic
killings of the Bodo community by the SFs, reports Sentinel. The
NDFB-R warned that the outfit will not remain silent to the alleged
excesses by the SFs. In a telephonic conversation, B. Barbai,
who claimed himself to be the 'Sergeant Major' of the NDFB's General
Headquarters, said the Assam Police and Army has been continuing
their killing spree of common people in the name of operations
against the NDFB. He said more than 75 percent reports of the
encounters claimed by the SFs were false. He warned the NDFB will
boycott celebrations of Independence Day on August 15 and clarified
that the NDFB-R faction was not involved in the Nayekgaon incident
where a former BLT cadre was shot dead.
August 4
A villager, who was earlier the headman of a Dimasa-dominated
village in the Mandardisa under Langting outpost in the North
Cachar Hills, was shot dead by suspected Naga militants.
August 5
A top ranking NDFB militant, Identified as Bhim
Boro alias Gandhi alias BK (37), who was allegedly
planning to blow up the Saraighat Bridge in Guwahati, was shot
dead by the SFs in an encounter at Bakulbari in Dhemaji District.
Sources said Bhim Boro, who was an 'area commander' of the Ranjan
Daimary faction of the NDFB, had allegedly masterminded the blast
in Sonitpur District on July 13 in which an Army Colonel and his
driver were killed. An Italy-made pistol, two live rounds of ammunition,
three fired cases, a grenade, a mobile phone and some incriminating
documents, including extortion notes, were recovered from his
possession. Police also said the Daimary faction was planning
to blow up the double-decker Saraighat Bridge before Independence
Day (August 15). Bhim Boro, who was reportedly trained in Afghanistan,
was the brain behind the plot, the Police added.
Another NDFB militant was shot dead in a joint
operation by the Army and Police at Monabari tea estate in Sonitpur
District. According to official sources, the NDBF militants were
planning to disrupt the Independence Day celebrations in the State.
An M-20 pistol, four rounds of ammunition and a motorcycle were
recovered from the encounter site.
One ULFA militant, Golok Deka alias Jitu
Saikia (28), was arrested by the SFs from Morigaon town of Morigaon
District at 11am (IST). Three mobile phones and some incriminating
documents were recovered from his possession.
The BSF personnel recovered at least 10 kilograms
of high powered explosives and 80 electric detonators at Malaidigi
village under Badarpur block in Karimganj District. Three suspected
PULF militants, Samsuddin, Nelabuddin, and Jamaluddin, were also
arrested in this connection.
The Army personnel neutralized an ULFA transit
camp from the Namsang reserve forest along the Buri Dehing River
in Dibrugarh District. Two revolvers, two .12 bore guns, a magazine
of AK-47 rifle with 120 rounds, explosives, cordex, detonators,
combat dresses and utensils were recovered from the camp.
The 12-hour Assam bandh (general shutdown) called
by the NDFB evoked a complete response in the four BTC Districts
of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri. While normal life was
crippled in these Districts, there was no report of any untoward
incident.
Police arrested a linkman of '709 battalion' of
the ULFA, identified as Mintu Kalita (22), son of Krishna Ram
Kalita, a resident of Bamundi Kailashpur under Saulkuchi Police
Station of Kamrup District.
August 6
Army personnel arrested a person, identified as
Biman Bora alias Biren Bora, along with two pistols and
one magazine with several rounds of ammunition from an unidentified
place in Sivasagar District.
August 7
An IED weighing two and half kilograms was recovered
from a person identified as Biswajit Ray and an assembled pistol
with four rounds of live ammunition was recovered from one Debu
Ray during a joint search operation conducted by the Security
Force personnel at Marirhat Bazar under Golokganj Police Station
in the Dhubri District.
Assam Police personnel recovered two IEDs, weighing
four kilograms and three kilograms, from the house of a person,
identified as Mohammad Iman Ali, from Howriapet village under
Gossaigaon subdivision in Kokrajhar District. Police also arrested
Mohammad Masiruddin Sheik and Mohammad Khairaj Jaman for further
investigation.
Police arrested two persons along with some arms
and sharp weapons from the Dotma area of Kokrajhar District during
the 12-hour Assam bandh (shutdown) called by the NDFB in
protest against the killing of its member, Sameswar Borgoyary.
SF personnel arrested a UNLF militant, identified
as Jayachandra Singh alias Lekhun (40), from Sibapurikhal
village under Jiribum Police Station in Cachar District. A locally-made
rifle with 50 grams of gun powder was recovered from his possession.
Sources said the militant is a resident of Bhishampur village
in the State of Manipur.
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.
Two senior ULFA cadres surrendered with a cache
of arms and ammunition in the Tezpur town of Sonitpur District.
The surrendered cadres were identified as Dhaneswar Borkakoty
alias Bhaiti and Prafulla Saikia alias Bahni Tamuly.
Dhaneswar had joined the outfit in 1990 while the latter had joined
in 1989. Dhaneswar deposited a cache of arms and ammunition comprising
one AK 56 rifle, one AK series magazine, 90 rounds live cartridges
of AK series, 750 grams of RDX, 3.8 kilograms of TNT explosives,
six PTED switches, one 1.6 kilogram IED and one detonator, while
Prafulla surrendered one M 20 pistol, two M 20 pistol magazine,
10 rounds live cartridge, one PTED switch, 800 grams TNT explosives
and one detonator.
August 8
The suspected militants of the Ranjan Daimary
faction of the NDFB abducted a section engineer of Northeast Frontier
Railway while he was supervising the construction of a bridge
at Batasipara under Dhekiajuli Police Station in Sonitpur District.
The Superintendent of Police, Sonitpur, Surinder Kumar, said over
phone that two suspected NDFB cadres whisked away Sanjay Kumar
Lama when he was working at the site around noon. Police quoted
eyewitnesses as saying that two youths on a bike whisked away
Lama.
The NDFB militant abducted Subhas Das, an employee
of a grocery shop located in the Rakshakmari area in Dhekiajuli
bordering Arunachal Pradesh in the evening.
The Central Reserve Police Force personnel arrested
two NDFB militants at Dotama Bazar in Kokrajhar District. A US-made
.9 mm pistol and two rounds of cartridges were recovered from
their possession.
August 9
Suspected militants of the ULFA triggered a low-intensity
explosion on a railway track at Harimura, around six kilometres
from the Goalpara railway station in Goalpara District, damaging
five sleepers. However, there were no casualties. The explosive
went off ahead of a Guwahati-bound goods train. Sources said the
driver had heard the blast and slowed the train. Railway sources
said the train moved on after the sleepers were replaced. Police
sources suspect that the Saraighat Express might have been the
target of the blast.
The SFs recovered explosive material near the
Koinadhara residence of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in Guwahati.
SF personnel raided the Koila Mandir Bazaar near the Chief Minister's
official residence and recovered explosive material meant for
making IED and some detonators from the possession of an unidentified
person.
A NDFB militant, identified as Lela Basumatary
alias Jang Khang (25) of Tangla, was arrested by Police from the
Chandmari area in Guwahati city. However, two other militants
managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
August 10
Army personnel arrested a person identified as
Moni Khan and recovered 35 kilograms of explosives from Lakhipur
in Cachar District.
Suspected militants of the United Democratic Liberation
Army abducted a businessman, Rafique Uddin Mazumdar (28), from
Purbasheet village along the Assam-Mizoram border in the Hailakandi
District in the night. Police said a group of militants in army
attire entered the village at around 10pm (IST) and abducted Rafique
Uddin Mazumdar at gun-point. However, no ransom notice has been
served by the militants.
The former BLT militants of BLT Welfare Society
presented a memorandum to the Union Government and urged the Government
to rein in the NDFB, accusing it of creating terror in the region.
In the memorandum to the Union Minister for Home Affairs P. Chidambaram
through Kokrajhar Deputy Commissioner Carol Narzary, the former
militants of the now defunct BLT said the NDFB was trying to destabilise
the Bodo areas and put brakes on development. The memorandum said
development in the Bodo belt was "moving fast in the right direction
under Hagrama Mohilary" but there was a "counter campaign" against
the "good work". "The NDFB (ceasefire) and Ranjan Daimary fraction
of NDFB are indulging in violence in the region to terrorise the
people. In a diabolical design to destabilise the region, the
NDFB is killing innocent people," it added. The society also accused
the Rabiram Narzary-led BPPF of encouraging the NDFB in carrying
out unlawful activities. Earlier, members of the ex-BLT Welfare
Society took out a rally from Kadamtola Bodoland Secretariat ground
to the Deputy Commissioner's office in Kokrajhar town. Similar
rallies were held in Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri Districts under
the Bodo Territorial Council.
The NDFB, ULFA, KLO of Assam, Manipur Peoples
Liberation Front (MPLF) of Manipur and Tripura Peoples Democratic
Front (TPDF) of Tripura jointly called a General Strike from 1am
(IST) to 6.30pm (IST) on August 15 in the Northeast and called
for to boycott of Independence Day.
August 11
A cache of explosives were recovered from a bus
during routine checking by the Police in the Kamrup (Rural) District.
Police sources said 60 electronic detonators and several metres
of fuse wire in a carry bag were kept inside the bus which was
on its way to Guwahati from Tezpur. The bus was stopped at Baihata
Charialia for checking. An unspecified number of persons were
detained for interrogation in this connection.
Quoting sources in the intelligence agencies,
Shillong Times has reported that the ULFA and NDFB have
already set up temporary hideouts in Bhutan, contrary to the claims
made by Bhutan that Indian militants do not put their bases anymore
in that country. This report from an Indian intelligence agency
came in the backdrop of the claim at the Seventh Border Coordination
Development Meeting held at Thimphu (Bhutan), which dismissed
reports about the ULFA and NDFB militants setting up permanent
camps on its soil. According to official sources in Guwahati,
the ULFA and NDFB militants were reorganising and attempting to
sneak into Bhutan. New Delhi has reportedly informed Thimphu of
the intrusion of about 30 militants into its soil. "We have information
that they (ULFA and NDFB) have set up temporary hideouts there
in the wake of stepped up counter-insurgency operations, especially
in Lower Assam," an officer from the Military Intelligence said.
August 12
A manager of a private firm, Dilip Swami, was
abducted by suspected militants from his Phukanjan residence under
Bokajan Police Station in Karbi Anglong District.
Assam Police personnel arrested one Devang Roy,
a student of NIIT of Chandmari branch of Guwahati, for allegedly
demanding extortion from the franchisee of the institute. Roy,
according to Police, engaged two minors to collect the demanded
money in the night on behalf of the NDFB. The two minors, who
were arrested from near Ganeshguri area were identified as Ganesh
Das and Babu Chetri. They identified Devang Roy as the one who
engaged them for the purpose against a sum of Rs 100. According
to Police, this is the first instance where the militant outfits
engaged minors to collect extortion amount. "This is an ingenious
modus operandi of the militants to use children for rebel activities,"
Additional Superintendent of Police (Special Task Force) Manabendra
Debroy said.
The Kolkata Police arrested two persons allegedly
supplying arms to the BW and recovered INR 2.38 hundred thousand
in cash and several important documents. The duo, identified as
Malsawm Kimi (31), of Ranhlun Vengthar in Aizawl, and George Lam
Thang (31), of Electric Bazaar in Aizawl, were arrested from the
Esplanade in the central part of the Kolkata, capital of West
Bengal, adds Assam Tribune. According to an STF statement, the
arrest of these two militants was due to information received
from the National Investigation Agency which was ordered by the
Union Government to probe the seizure of huge sums of cash in
Assam in February and April 2009.
A 13-member team of woman cadres belonging to
the ULFA and the Ranjan Daimary faction of the NDFB entered the
Guwahati city to trigger subversive activities ahead of the Independence
Day (August 15), latest intelligence inputs gathered by the Assam
Police stated.
The suspension of operation agreement between
the UPDS and the Government of India has been extended for another
six-month period up to January 31, 2010 at a tripartite meeting
among representatives of the militant outfit, Union Government
of India and the Assam Government held in New Delhi.
August 13
SFs recovered an IED weighing about 3.30 kilograms
from the house of a village headman Mohammad Abdul Gofur Sheik
(35) of Bangaldoba village under Kokrajhar Police Station of Kokrajhar
District.
Two top ranking militants of the Manipur-based
PULF were arrested by the Assam Police from Guwahati. Of the two
arrested militants, one was identified as Rubul Ali, who is a
Guwahati-based businessman. Ali, the former 'foreign secretary'
of PULF, is a resident of Bharalumukh area. The other PULF militant
was identified as Khalil Ali, who represented Assam in the National
Games 2007. Sources said that Ali along with the top leaders of
PULF had recently travelled to various neighbouring countries,
including Bangladesh. He also underwent training in Bangladesh.
A ULFA bomb expert heading for oil town Duliajan
was arrested by a combined team of the Army, Central Reserve Police
Force personnel and local Police from a night super bus near Dirai
under Rajgarh Police Outpost of Dibrugarh District.
BSF personnel arrested one active ULFA linkman,
identified as Mukti Bora (32), at Pushpa Bandha Chaudang Pathar
village in Golaghat District. According to official sources, Bora
tried to escape when the Police entered his house during the operation.
The BSF recovered a demand draft amounting to INR five hundred
thousand, signed by a senior cadre of the '28th battalion' of
ULFA, Golap Sonwai.
August 14
SFs recovered a cache of explosives weighing about
50 kilograms, 104 electric detonators, 22 meters of safety fuse,
a 10- meters wire, 10 rounds of 9-mm ammunition and one 9-mm magazine
from Ghumuria reserve forest of Sadiya in the Tinsukia District.
Army sources said they had information that militants were moving
large quantities of explosives from Mon District of Nagaland into
Tinsukia District of Assam prior to Independence Day (August 15,
today).
Seven TNT slabs, each weighing about 1.5 kilograms,
10 electronic detonators, six 9-volt batteries and a bundle of
fuse wire, were recovered near Ukium on the outskirts of Guwahati
along the Assam-Meghalaya border. The arrest of a ULFA cadre,
Mintu Rabha alias Raju, from Jyotinagar in Guwahati led
to the recovery. The explosives were hidden under stones. A 9-mm
pistol was also recovered from the possession of Rabha.
The Army personnel recovered an improvised explosive
device, packed inside a pickle container, from under a newly constructed
bridge on National Highway 31 at Rakhaldubi in Bongaigaon District.
August 15
An improvised explosive device weighing eight
kilograms was recovered from under a concrete bridge on the Sonari-Namrup
Road near Rajapukhuri under Sonari Police station in the Sivasagar
District at 9pm (IST).
August 16
Two Army personnel and a NDFB militant were killed
in an encounter at Garugaon on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border
area under Dhekiajuli Police Station of Sonitpur District at about
4.45am (IST). Official sources said the Army personnel were conducting
a search operation in the Garugaon area after getting intelligence
inputs about the movement of militants. During the search operation,
the Army came across a four-member group of the Ranjan Daimary
faction of the NDFB and were engaged in an encounter with militants
lasting for about an hour. Subsequently, dead bodies of two Army
personnel and a NDFB militant were recovered. The slain NDFB militant
was identified as B. Thungree. Meanwhile, three other militants
managed to escape from the spot taking the advantage of darkness.
A ULFA militant, identified as Khogen Konwar alias
Nayan Jyoti Gogoi, was arrested from Bhojo railway station under
Sonari Police station in Sivasagar District.
A KLO militant, identified as Rabindra Nath Roy,
was arrested from Kherbari village under Golokganj Police station
of Dhubri District.
August 17
A woman was killed and six others
injured in a Dimasa dominated Bonkai village bordering the State
of Nagaland under Maibong sub-division in North Cachar Hills District
around 4am (IST). 32 houses were also set ablaze. Police said
a large number of Naga villagers, allegedly aided by the NSCN-IM
militants, attacked Bonkai village. The North Cachar Hills District
Superintendent of Police Anurag Tankha said the attack occurred
when the villagers were on their way to the nearby jhum (shifting
cultivation) fields.
SFs recovered a 12 kilograms bomb
under a railway-over-bridge at Balipara in the Sonitpur District
late in the night.
Police arrested Krishna Nath,
Dhanjit Nath and Sachin Mandal from Indrapur under Bhangagarh
Police Station in Guwahati for their involvement in the extortion
of INR 200000 from Putul Lahkar, an insurance agent, in the name
of the NDFB.
The Army denied that two of its
troopers had died during the encounter at Jalang in Sonitpur District
on August 16. In a press release, the Public Relation Officer
(Defence) at Tezpur said that one cadre belonging to the Ranjan
Daimary faction of the NDFB was killed in the operation. The Army
recovered one 7.65 mm pistol and two rounds of live ammunition,
the press release added.
Quoting Prime Minister Dr Manmohan
Singh, Assam Tribune reported that the situation in Assam,
Manipur and Nagaland is worrisome. Inaugurating the Conference
of Chief Ministers on Internal Security in Delhi, Dr. Singh said
in the north-east there is an overall improvement but the situation
in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland remains problematic and worrisome.
In a remark on handling of the
insurgency situation by the north eastern states, Union Home Minister,
P Chidambaram questioned the practice of bending over backwards
before the insurgents. "At times, we find that some State
Governments have allowed themselves to bend before insurgent groups,
making the fight against insurgency that much more difficult,"
said the Home Minister, while making his opening remarks at the
Conference of Chief Ministers on Internal Security here this morning.
"I regret to say that I cannot report much progress in the
north eastern states," Chidambaram said. "I propose
to hold discussions with the State Governments concerned and draw
up State-specific strategies to deal with the insurgent groups
in the three most affected States of Assam, Nagaland and Manipur,"
Chidambaram. "In the last few months we have refined our
policy stance: the law will be applied strictly; ceasefire agreements
would be enforced in letter and spirit; and we will talk to any
group only if that group abjures violence, lays down its arms
and offers to surrender," he added.
The Kokrajhar District Surrendered
NDFB Welfare Association expressed serious concern over the non-implementation
of rehabilitation programme for the welfare of its surrendered
cadres who had already shunned the path of violence and returned
to the mainstream of social life. A press release issued by Phulen
Narzary, the Publicity Secretary, said the Government’s commitment
to rehabilitate the surrendered militants in Assam has been put
in the back-burner making the surrendered NDFB cadre face untold
suffering due to lack of proper avenues of livelihood.
August 18
Army personnel conducted a search
operation in the house of Rabindranath Ray (35) of Kherbari village
under Golakganj Police Station in Guwahati and recovered a hand-made
pistol along with three rounds of live ammunition and a mobile
phone from his possession.
Three suspected NSCN-IM militants
were arrested by a joint team of the Army and Police from the
Namtola area under Sonari Police Station in Sivasagar District.
Assam Tribune reports that
five militants belonging to the NDFB were arrested from the Khagrachari
area in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) District. They were identified
as Oadhish Narzary (35), Pabitra Goyari (25), Dhiren Khakori (25),
Jonathan Basumatary (35) and Pradeep (30). Security sources, however,
said they do not have any official intimation of the arrests as
yet. But sources pointed out that the possibility of such arrests
cannot be ruled out as the NDFB has strong bases in Bangladesh
even in the area from where the militants were reportedly arrested.
The report in Daily Star said that the arrested persons have been
charged with illegal entry into that country and during questioning
they revealed before the Police that they managed to sneak into
Bangladesh through the international border in Tripura.
Security sources said that the
anti-talks faction of the NDFB headed by Ranjan Daimary have strong
bases in Bangladesh. The outfit has at least 100 cadres in their
bases in Bangladesh. Though the exact number of camps of the outfit
in Bangladesh is yet to be ascertained, it is believed that the
outfit is running at least 10 bases and some of the bases are
in the Khagrachari area from where the five militants were reportedly
arrested.
August 19
A top ranking NDFB militant, identified
as Nikhil Brahma, was shot dead in an encounter with the SFs at
Taraibari under Kokrajhar Police Station in the Kokrajhar District.
The SF personnel neutralized a
mini gun-making factory at Sonajuli along the Assam-Arunachal
Pradesh border in the Sonitpur District.
The CRPF personnel arrested 55-year
old Hasmat Ali of Sherpur village under Dhula Police Station in
the Darrang District and recovered an Italy-made pistol of 7.65
calibres along with five rounds of ammunition and two magazines
from his House. According to Hasmat, his son Abdul Kasim and three
of his friends had kept the arms and ammunition in the house.
A joint team of the CRPF and Assam
Police arrested a suspected militant of the Ranjan Daimary faction
of the NDFB, identified as Mantu Boro, from the Hengrabari area
under Dispur Police Station of Kamrup District.
The CBI filed a chargesheet in
Dr P.C. Ram abduction case before the court of Chief Judicial
Magistrate in Guwahati and stated that the ULFA was paid INR 3.2
million on June 5, 2007 as the first instalment of the demanded
ransom. The money was handed over to an ULFA cadre, Tapan Rai,
near the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport on
the same day. The abductors had demanded INR 2100 million for
the release of the senior Food Corporation of India official.
Amongst the 17 persons charge-sheeted, top ranking leader and
‘commander’ of the ‘709 battalion’ of the ULFA, Hira Sarania,
has been named as the prime conspirator. Rabiram Basumatary, the
driver of FCI Executive Director Dr. P.C. Ram, was also named
as one of the conspirators, though his name along with six others
did not feature in the chargesheet as they had died during the
course of the investigation. All the accused have been charge
sheeted under Sections 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) and 364(a)
(abduction for ransom) of the Indian Penal Code. Six Police officials
who were arrested earlier in this connection have, however, been
acquitted. Dr Ram, who was abducted from near his Sreenagar residence
on April 17, remained in the abductor’s custody till his death
in a cross-fire between Police and his abductors on July 12, 2007.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said
he was apprehensive that the Pakistan-based militant outfit LeT
may target the State. "We cannot rule out (LeT’s threat). If you
ask me if I have any definite proof, we may not have that, but
I have my apprehensions. These people, you do not know how they
work," Gogoi said. On being asked about any intelligence input
on whether the LeT may target Assam, he said "Yes. I have no doubt.
According to me, we are not safe." He, however, said the Assam
Police is on alert and prepared to thwart any untoward incident.
The Chief Minister also said efforts were on to modernise the
Assam Police with latest technologies and equipment with the help
of the Union Government and the State-run schemes.
August 20
SF personnel shot dead a NDFB
militant, identified as David Basumatary, at Dalgaon village under
Saraibil border outpost near India-Bhutan border in the Kokrajhar
District at about 3.30am (IST).
Army personnel arrested six suspected
NDFB cadres from the Pabhoi area falling under Biswanath Chariali
Police Station of Sonitpur District in the same night.
Telegraph reports that the pro-talks
group of the ULFA has sought an urgent discussion with the Assam
Government as their cadres were getting frustrated after waiting
for more than a year. "If we do not get a positive response, we
will have to decide on our future course of action," Prabal Neog,
a leader of the pro-talks faction, who has been camping in the
capital Guwahati since August 19, told. He said he would meet
Principal Secretary (Home) S.C. Das as soon as he returns from
Delhi. Neog said the cadres were frustrated and it had become
difficult for the leaders to keep on convincing them that there
would be some progress. He said several cadres have already deserted
the designated camps in the past few months and a few have joined
the ULFA while some have surrendered to the Security Forces. Jiten
Dutta, another leader of the group, said the blame would rest
entirely on the Government if talks failed this time and the cadres
took some drastic steps. "We will not say now as to what we will
do but we will take some decisive steps. The government has turned
a deaf ear towards the issue. Despite repeated requests to clear
its stand, there is simply no response from the government. This
will be our final meeting with the government as we want to clear
the air once and for all," he warned. The cadres of the pro-talks
group are at present housed in three designated camps in the Tinsukia
and Nalbari Districts.
August 21
Suspected militants of the Ranjan
Daimary faction of the NDFB shot dead a member of the BPF, Sonen
Basumatary (32), at his Bangalbazar residence in the Sukansangra
area under Bismuri outpost of Kokrajhar District around 6.10am
(IST). Police said four to five militants came to the house and
shot him dead. Derhasat Basumatary, the BPF Kokrajhar District
Secretary and Bodoland Territorial Council executive member claimed
that the NDFB was behind the killing.
At least 10 Marwari (a business
community) families have deserted their homes and shops in the
tea gardens of Sonitpur District and returned to Rajasthan fearing
attacks by the NDFB, which had been serving extortion notes to
the community for the past few months. The Secretary of the Dhekiajuli
Marwari panchayat (group) in Sonitpur, Munna Chandak, said six
businessmen and their families have left for their home State
in the past 15 days. Four other families have fled from Rangapara.
"Some other families are camping in Dhekiajuli town and looking
for people to sell off their shops. They will leave for Rajasthan
as soon as they can do so," Chandak said. The business community
of Dhekiajuli has faxed a memorandum to the Rajasthan Chief Minister
Ashok Ghelot to take up the matter with the Assam Government.
Almost every tea garden in Assam reportedly has at least one provision
store run by the Marwaris. These stores sell a variety of items
and cater to the labour community and managers alike. An official
source said almost all the owners of garden stores have been served
with extortion notices by the NDFB, especially in Sonitpur District,
in the past few months. The exodus began soon after an employee
of a departmental store at Sapai tea estate, Subash Das, was abducted
on August 6.
A Sessions Court in Guwahati sent
Malsawmkimi (31) to judicial custody for 14 days. Malsawmkimi
was arrested by the Kolkata Police and the National Investigation
Agency on August 13 from a hotel for her links with the BW militants.
Two senior employees of a cement
factory were abducted by suspected ULFA militants from near their
factory at Damas area in the afternoon, when they were traveling
in a vehicle to their main office at Dudhnoi of Goalpara District
in Assam. They were identified as Sambu Danuka and P.K. Hori.
Subsequently, the Police recovered the abandoned vehicle from
Miapara village, five kilometers away from Damas. Sources said
the prime suspect was the ‘108 battalion’ of the ULFA led by Gulit
Das which was operating in the area. Unconfirmed reports indicated
that the ULFA carried out the abduction in retaliation for the
company not complying with its demand for a huge amount of ‘donations’.
August 23
Tilak Chand Sharma, the manager
of a rice warehouse, was allegedly abducted by three unidentified
militants from the Gossaigaon Police Station area in Kokrajhar
District at around 7 pm (IST). Sources said the militants, riding
two motorbikes, broke into the warehouse and abducted Sharma at
gunpoint.
Three NDFB militants, identified
as Penla Basumatary, Urga Basumatary, and Gobinda Rabha, were
arrested by the Assam Police from the Serfanguri area on charges
of extortion in the same evening.
Police arrested one ULFA militant,
Montu Kachari of Numuligarh, and a linkman, Tapan Bora of Baruah
Gaon, from Bokakhat town in the Golaghat District. Some extortion
notes were recovered from their possession.
A joint meeting between the ex-BLT
and the surrendered NDFB militants was held at Debargaon in the
Kokrajhar District to discuss the rehabilitation of surrendered
members, life security and implementation of BTC accord. The meeting
was chaired by President of the ex-BLT Welfare Society, Jono Mahon
Mashahary, where the BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary, who was the chairman
of the disbanded BLT, was also present along with Transport Minister
Chandan Brahma and other senior colleagues. In an interview with
media, Mohilary said the former BLT members and surrendered NDFB
militants were not fully rehabilitated even after five years of
BTC accord although it was the part of clauses in the accord.
He said the ex-BLT and surrendered NDFB members have been facing
lack of security of life. The ex-BLT Welfare Society and the All
Surrendered NDFB Welfare Association will jointly initiate to
discuss the matter with the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, he said,
adding that both the associations will launch an agitation if
their demands are not fulfilled.
Sentinel quoting an unconfirmed
report said that the Union Government has already contacted the
ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah through middlemen and
expressed its willingness for unconditional peace talks with the
outfit outside India. The ULFA is yet to react to the recent media
report that Paresh Baruah was arrested from a hideout in Manipur.
The KLNLF is reportedly ready
to deposit arms before the Assam Police in order to enter into
a cease-fire with the Government. According to sources, the development
has taken place at the initiative of a top officer in the Special
Branch of the State Police Force.
The Government of India asked
Bangladesh to deport ULFA leader Anup Chetia, reports Assam Tribune.
Chetia, whose real name is Golap Baruah, has been in jail since
his arrest in Dhaka in January 1998 from Shyamoli area under the
Foreigners Act and the Passports Act. After completion of Chetia’s
jail term, India has asked Bangladesh to handover him. Bangladesh
has so far not given any response but India is hopeful that it
would accede to the request considering the new Government’s resolve
to root out terrorism and the new impetus being imparted to bilateral
ties. Chetia has been seeking political asylum in Bangladesh or
deportation to any country other than India but those petitions
are pending.
The infiltration along the porous
India-Bangladesh border has decreased after Indian insurgent groups
have shifted their camps from border areas, the BSF Inspector
General (Assam and Meghalaya Frontier) Prithvi Raj said. "The
concentrations of camps of the militants along the border areas
are decreasing following pressure from the Bangladesh Government
which wants the militant outfits to dismantle their camps and
minimise their activities. The militant outfits are now shifting
their bases to China, Myanmar and Nepal. This has decreased the
pressure of infiltration. But we cannot rule out the possibility
of the militants entering India," he added. "Of the
total 564 km of border fencing sanctioned along the international
border in the Assam-Meghalaya Frontier, the work has been completed
in around 158 km… We are facing problems in about 270 km due to
various reasons. But we are persuading the construction agencies
to speed up the work," he said.
August 26
A 56-year- old woman was shot dead by unidentified
militants at Batabari area in the Chirang District.
SFs rescued abducted railway engineer Sanjay Kumar
Lama (43) from a village, three kilometres north-east of Batasipara
in the Sonitpur District. He was abducted by four suspected militants
belonging to the Ranjan Daimary faction of the NDFB. The outfit
had demanded INR 15 million and suspension of operations by the
SFs in the area for his release. Police, however, claimed that
no ransom was paid.
SF personnel arrested three ULFA militants, identified
as Dilip Kalita alias Pranjal Deka, Thaneshwar Kalita alias Thanu
and Dina Kalita from Debananda Satra village in Mangaldai District.
According to sources, the militants belong to the 27th
battalion of the ULFA. Five extortion notes were recovered from
their possession.
August 27
Two unidentified ULFA militants were shot dead
at Golbeel under Barma Police Station in the Baksa District in
the morning.
SFs recovered a cache of arms and explosives from
a forest near Dekhidhol village under Dhekiajuli area in the Sonitpur
District. The security official said that the consignment was
hidden by NDFB militants.
Two NDFB militants were arrested by the SFs from
the Tipkai area under Bogribari Police station of Kokrajhar District.
The arrestees were identified as Daimalu Basumatary and Siman
Basumatary. During interrogation, they confessed before the Police
that the action group of the outfit was out to carry out the blueprint
that had been prepared by its 'chief' Ranjan Daimary to assassinate
BTC chief Hagrama Basumatary, Member of Parliament S.K. Basumatary
and BTC executive member Mano Brahma. The two militants have also
said that Daimalu was among the five NDFB cadres who had attacked
Basumatary at Panbari in Kokrajhar on April 24 when two persons
were killed. The NDFB militants further confessed the link of
some District committees of the All Bodo Students' Union with
the outfit.
August 28
An unidentified KLNLF militant was shot dead by
the Army during an encounter at Srilangshu in Karbi Anglong District.
Two AK-56 rifles and ammunition were recovered from the encounter
site.
Two BW militants, identified as Monraj Johari
and Ajit Nunisa, were arrested from Amteka Dwimuguri under Bijni
Police station in the Chirang District.
August 29
SFs shot dead two ULFA militants at Nagapara hills
under Boko Police station in the Kamrup District. Army sources
said about four militants were taking shelter in a house and when
the SFs raided the house, the militants opened fire. In the ensuing
gunbattle, two militants died while two others escaped under cover
of darkness. The site of the incident is about 50 kilometres from
the capital city Guwahati. Though the two militants are yet to
be identified, Police claimed that both were from the 709th battalion
of ULFA and probably new recruits. One five kilograms of improvised
explosive device, a grenade, one 9-mm pistol, ammunition and an
unspecified amount of Bangladeshi currency notes were recovered
from the possession of the slain militants.
August 30
The KLO chief Jiban Singh's sister and brother-in-law
were arrested from a house of the Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary
Kokrajhar in an early morning operation by the Security Force
personnel. The couple, Sumitra Das and her husband, Dhananjoy
Barman, who is a 'second lieutenant' in the outfit, had been taking
shelter in a house belonging to a senior member of the All Koch
Rajbongshi Students Union (Biswajit faction), Dalim Choudhury,
with their two-year-old son. An Italian made 7.65mm pistol, four
bullets, two mobile handsets, five SIM cards, including two Bangladeshi
cards and BNR 100 were recovered from the possession of the couple.
The couple hails from Bolka Barobaisa of Jalpaiguri District in
West Bengal. "After operation All Clear (Operation Flushout) in
Bhutan, they went to Bangladesh and had been staying there. But
they came back recently and were taking shelter in Dalim Choudhury's
house," Kokrajhar Police station officer in-charge Haren Das said.
Two NSCN-K militants were arrested by the Army
personnel from Langrangjao under Harangjao Police station in North
Cachar Hills District. A cache of arms and ammunition were recovered
from their possession.
The Police arrested five linkmen of the NDFB from
Nagaon near Baihata Chariali on NH-37 in the Kamrup District at
about 4:00pm (IST) and recovered one sophisticated Italy-made
.303 pistol along with six rounds of ammunition. Police arrested
Manoj Boro of Sonajuli Gorbasti village in Udalguri District while
he was selling the pistol to three of his accomplices. The other
arrested linkmen were identified as Jiaur Rahman of village Kachari
Solmari under Rangiya Police Station, Moon Kakati of Becheria
village under Bebezia Tiniali Police Station in Sonitpur District
and Tankeswar Kalita of Milanpur under Rangiya Police Station.
Based on Manoj Boro's confession, Police, in the same evening
at about 7:00pm, arrested another linkman, Pado Ram Basumatari
of Gelabeel village in Udalguri District, while he was waiting
for Manoj at Inter State Bus Terminus at Betkuchi in Guwahati.
Manoj and Pado were planning to proceed to Dimapur in Nagaland
to procure more arms and ammunition with the intention to supply
it to NDFB militants.
The two employees of a Garo Hills-based cement
company, abducted by suspected ULFA militants on August 21, were
released in the Rongjuli area of Goalpara District. According
to sources, the duo, Virgo Cement Industries manager Sambhu Dhanuka
and chief engineer PK Hori, were abducted from near the cement
plant at Damas on the Meghalaya-Assam border in the afternoon.
They were held hostage for ransom at Simantala village in Goalpara
District. Though it is not yet known who the abductors were, Assam
Police suspect that the Viper Rabha Army, a lesser-known militant
group, was involved in the incident. Viper Rabha Army is believed
to enjoy the patronage of Assam-based ULFA. The ULFA had reportedly
hired the services of Viper Rabha Army for its activities in Goalpara
and parts of Garo Hills. However, the ULFA has denied any role
in the abduction.
August 31
Two NDFB militants, identified as Roshan Narzary
and Janjit Mushahary, were shot dead in an encounter with Security
Force personnel at Moinaguri Taisuguru in Kokrajhar District.
An AK-56 rifle, a 9mm pistol and ammunition were recovered from
the possession of the slain militants.
September 1
Unidentified militants shot dead
two persons, identified as Kamal Daimary and Gopi Das, near Alia
Chowk under Borbori Police Station in the Baksa District around
3.30pm (IST).
A ‘sergeant major’ of the ULFA,
Niren Sarma, was shot dead in an encounter with the SFs at Bhaskarbari
Chariali in the Dibrugarh District. One pistol, six rounds of
ammunition and a mobile phone were recovered from his possession.
The Union Government gave BW an
ultimatum to formally surrender after fulfilling all the pre-conditions
till September 15. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, after attending
a meeting chaired by Union Minister of Home Affairs P. Chidambaram,
addressed the media and said the BW has been given time till middle
of September to surrender. This is in response to their offer
for unilateral cease-fire announced some three months ago. "If
they surrender by September 15 and follow our pre-conditions,
we are willing to accept their offer for ceasefire," said
Gogoi.
September 2
An unidentified NDFB militant
was shot dead in an encounter with the Police in the Narakasur
Hill area of Rupnagar under Bhangagarh Police Station in Kamrup
District in the morning. Three other militants, however, managed
to escape.
The NDFB cadres of Barbari designated
camp at Barbari in the Baksa District opened fire to disperse
a group of protestors who were marching towards the camp. Sources
said a protest rally was organised against the killing of Kamal
Daimary (Khatowa), an ex-BLT cadre, and Gopit Sarania (Das), a
Bodo People Front activist, at Alia village under Barbari Police
Station at 2.30pm (IST) on September 1. Security Force personnel
who arrived at the spot also fired in the air to prevent any untoward
incident.
Two MULTA militants, Abdul Malek
(38) and Abdur Rahim (32), were arrested by the SFs at Kayethpara
village in the Bongaigaon District at around 1am. A handmade bomb
and 500 grams of RDX (Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine) were recovered
from their possession.
September 3
The SFs arrested a ‘second lieutenant’
of the ULFA, Devika Gohain, from Titlaghar in the Sivasagar District.
Devika, the wife of ULFA leader Niren Sarma, was arrested from
the residence of Ajit Bharali.
Police arrested one NDFB militant,
identified as Salim Sheikh, from Balajan in the Dhubri District.
September 4
Two persons, identified as Daben
Rabha and Simananda Rabha, were shot dead and a woman, Janaki
Rabha, injured when unidentified militants opened fired at them
at Kushutola village under Kajigaon Police Station in the Kokrajhar
District.
September 6
A ‘Sergeant Major’ of the 709th
Battalion of the ULFA, Pranay Ray alias Prabin alias
Manaranjan (32), was shot dead by the SFs in a search operation
at Kalipukri under Kokrajhar Police Station of Kokrajhar District.
Police sources said that the slain militant was taking shelter
in the house of one Biren Roy at Tilapara village. One 7.62 mm
pistol with 19 live ammunition, one Chinese-made grenade, four
mobile handsets, a satellite phone, one detonator, two empty cartridges
and incriminating documents were recovered from the possession
of the slain militant.
Assam Police arrested two NDFB
militants and three linkmen from a motel in the Kolazol area of
Kamrup District. One 9-mm USA-made pistol and six rounds of ammunition
were recovered from their possession. While the arrested militants
were identified as Dambaru Baro alias Manoranjan Baro and
Padoram Basumatary, the linkmen were identified as Jiaur Rahman,
Man Kataki and Tankeswar Kalita.
SFs launched a operation in the
Sonitpur District, which has become a stronghold of the NDFB.
The Arunachal Pradesh Government was also reportedly asked to
seal its borders with the District as the militants use the jungles
along the inter-state boundary as their hideout. "We are
already receiving indications that many who are now with Ranjan
Daimary fraction may switch sides and join the pro-talks faction
of the NDFB once the Centre starts formal political talks with
the group," an unnamed official said.
The BW outfit is likely to accept
the Government’s deadline to surrender arms by September 15 to
come overground to solve problems through talks, reports Assam
Tribune. Official sources said the outfit is in touch with
the Government and the possibility of the outfit meeting the deadline
of the Government is quite possible "if everything goes smoothly".
September 7
Police arrested one suspected
ULFA cadre, Hemchandra Moran (30), son of Umesh Moran of Bormesai
village of Kokopathar, on charges of extortion from Chabua area
of Dibrugarh District. The Police arrested Hemchandra when he
along with another militant went to Dikam Sessa for collection
of extortion money. However, the other militant managed to escape.
Police recovered a two wheeler used by the militant.
SFs brought 10 BW cadres along
with ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Daniel Dimasa to Haflong from
Lungting under tight security. The group is expected surrender
with arms on September 13.
September 8
Four Police personnel were suspended after suspected
militants of the Adivasi Cobra Force outfit ransacked two SLRs,
one Insas rifle and a carbine from a Police camp at Sapkata in
the Kokrajhar District. The militants, after ransacking the weapons,
are said to have gone towards West Bengal, crossing the Sankosh
River, said a Police officer.
The splinter faction of the BW, led by James Dimasa,
said that they will not surrender. Jonadon Dimasa, spokesman of
the splinter faction, reportedly told the local media that they
will not surrender.
September 9
SFs arrested two suspected PULF militants, identified
as Saidul (34), son of Abdul Ahmed and Samein Hussain (22), son
of Hafiz Ali Laskar of Badabawure village, from their residence
at Kachudaram in the Cachar District.
The SF personnel arrested two militants of an
unidentified outfit at Kakojan under Doomdooma Police station
in the Tinsukhia District. Later, they were identified as Binoy
Barua of Kathalguri village under Pengeree Police station and
Tilanku Moran of Mamorani under Digboi Police station.
A MULTA cadre, identified as Elahi Sheikh, was
arrested by the Police from the Pipulbari village in Dhubri District.
September 10
SFs arrested two ULFA militants, identified as
Binoy Baruah alias Dibyajyoti Gohain (24), a resident of
Kathalguri village, and Tilanku Moran alias Satyajit Moran
alias Sanakya (26), a resident of Mamaroni village, from
Kakojan in the Tinsukhia District. Two 9-mm pistols, seven live
rounds, extortion pads, mobile phones and other incriminating
material were recovered from their possession. Sources said the
duo were absconders from the ULFA cease-fire group camp at Kakopathar.
The TADA court in Guwahati sentenced Ronkur Dutta,
a senior ULFA cadre, to life imprisonment. Dutta was accused of
murdering a Police officer.
September 11
An NSCN-K militant was shot dead and three other
militants were arrested in an encounter with SFs at Lungsem village
near Haflong in the North Cachar Hills District.
The UPDS, which is in a cease-fire with the Government
since 2002, agreed to surrender all its arms. The breakthrough
came during a joint monitoring group meeting held to review the
cease-fire ground rules, revised in early 2009. On August 12,
2009, the suspension of operation agreement between the UPDS and
the Union Government was extended for another six months on the
condition that they would abide by the revised ground rules. An
eight-member UPDS team led by its 'joint secretary' W. Mukrang
participated in the meeting held at the Special Branch headquarters
in Kahilipara. The Joint Secretary of the Union Ministry of Home
Affairs, (in charge of Northeast), Navin Verma, State Principal
Secretary (Home) S.C. Das, Additional Director-General of Police
(Special Branch) Khagen Sarma, senior officers of the Army, CRPF,
BSF, Special Brach, Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau and the Superintendent
of Police of Karbi Anglong District, K.K. Sharma, represented
the Government.
September 13
193 BW militants surrendered along with their
arms before the SFs. The cadres first gathered at Thanalambra,
about 35 kilometres from Haflong, District headquarters of North
Cachar Hills, before proceeding to the 5th Assam Police Battalion
headquarters at Sontilla to deposit their weapons. They laid down
over 70 weapons in the presence of Police officials. Among those
who surrendered were BW leaders Daniel Dimasa, Maurang and Daku
Dimasa. The cadres are to be moved into five designated camps
in different parts of the District.
Police recovered a cache of arms and ammunition
from a banana farm at Kheroni under Kheroni Police Station in
the Karbi Anglong District. Nine extortion notes belonging to
the KLNLF and some documents related to the Hindu Liberation Army
were also recovered. The recovered arms include two pistols, 102
rounds of ammunition and four grenades.
The Army personnel arrested Abdul Rakib (26),
a PULF militant, from Longkhow area in the Cachar District. The
militant is a resident of Khergao at Mamang Leikai in Imphal,
capital of Manipur. A 7.62 mm revolver, five extortion notes of
PULF (Azad fraction) and one rubber stamp of the PULF Finance
Secretary were recovered from his possession. According to Army
sources, Abdul underwent training with the PULF in 2006. He came
to Cachar District to collect 'tax' from the local residents.
September 14
The second batch of 180 BW militants surrendered
arms, taking the total number of cadres to 373. A Police source
said the militants set out from Dihangi, about 30 kilometres from
Haflong, to Sontilla, the headquarters of the 5th Assam
Police Battalion, where they deposited their arms. The extremists
are to be shifted to their designated camp in Kapurtalla near
Harangajao in the North Cachar Hills District.
The 'section commandant' of the NDFB of Chirang
District, Samayee Narzarry, and three other militants were arrested
in a joint operation by the Chirang Police and the Army personnel
from Amteka in Chirang District.
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.
September 15
Two cadres of the pro-talk fraction of NDFB were
arrested in a joint operation by the Police and Army personnel
at Digli under Bismuri Police outpost in Kokrajhar District at
2.30 am (IST). The arrested cadres were identified as Barga Mashahary
(26) and Mithinga Basumatary (22), both hailing from Bashbari
designated camp in Kokrajhar District.
An NDFB cadre, identified as Bakul Rabha (26),
was arrested at Dhuliara village under Baihata Chariali Police
station in Kamrup District. According to sources, Rabha was actively
associated with collecting extortion money for the 3rd battalion
of NDFB. A motor bike, a mobile phone handset and INR 10,000 was
recovered from his possession.
The self-styled 'sergeant major' of 28th battalion
of ULFA, Niren Sharma alias Tarun Gogoi, surrendered before the
SFs during a surrender ceremony held at Dinjan Military Station
in Dibrugarh District. The ULFA cadre deposited one AK 56 rifle
and a hand grenade. Niren, who hailed from Sivasagar District,
had been with the outfit since 1987 and had received military
training in Bhutan in 1997. His wife self-styled second lieutenant
of the 28th battalion of ULFA, Devika Gohain, was arrested by
the Army personnel on September 3.
Addressing the State Police Chiefs on the second
day of their three-day conclave, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
said that the situation in the north eastern part of the country
is far from comfortable. "In two of the States - Manipur and Assam
- current levels of violence give us cause for concern. In addition,
extortion and intimidation have become a menace across most of
the States in the region. It should be possible, I believe, to
bring about a substantial improvement in the situation if there
can be better security management," he said. The State is back
on Union Government map of most troubled State. The Prime Minister's
observation at the conference of DGPs and IGPs comes close on
the heels of Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram's critical remarks
about the prevailing situation in the Northeast.
The KLNLF expressed its willingness to get their
demands met through talks with the Government. According to sources,
two top-level KLNLF leaders met top Police officials, including
ADGP, Khagen Sarma, at Guwahati on September 13, 2009. This development
came close of the heels of the laying down of arms by the Black
Widow following a green signal from the MHA. If everything goes
well, the outfit may lay down arms by the end of September, 2009,
sources added.
September 16
A Grenade blast took place at Kamalabari road
in Lakhimpur District at around 7:20 pm (IST). Sources said that
two unidentified youths threw a grenade inside a grocery shop
and fled the scene on their bike. However, no casualty was reported,
sources added.
Police arrested two ULFA militants at Panitema
and Dhirenpra respectively in Kamrup District. According to Police
sources, Police arrested one ULFA militant Hemanta Deka (30) at
Panitema Village under Kamalpur Police station. Following the
confession of Hemanta Deka, another ULFA militant cadre Bakul
Boro was arrested at Dhirenpara in Guwahati. Some writing pads
of ULFA and a number of mobile SIM cards were recovered from their
possession. The arrested ULFA cadres belong to 709th battalion
of ULFA.
Police arrested two ULFA linkmen who demanded
extortion money of INR four hundred thousand from a school teacher
of Mulabari area in Baihata Chariali. The arrested linkmen were
identified as Bhabajyoti Choudhury and Kalyan Nath of Baihata
Chariali.
One Derhasat Basumatary (22), a cadre of the Ranjan
Daimary faction of NDFB, surrendered before Kokrajhar Superintendent
of Police, P.K. Dutta.
Assam Government's Principal Secretary (Home)
Subhas Das visited the Kakopathar designated camp of the pro-talks
fraction of ULFA in Tinsukia District, where he hold a discussion
with its leaders.
September 18
The Police arrested two militants of the '27th
battalion' of ULFA, identified as Satya Baishya and Abdul Mazan
Bora, from Baihata Chariali in Kamrup District. A revolver and
three rounds of ammunition, a motorcycle, ULFA's pad and some
extortion notes were recovered from their possession, adds Assam
Tribune.
The SFs arrested an ULFA linkman, Jaiprakash Rai
(27) of Khudra Derugaon Suterpara village in Kokrajhar District.
The personnel of 10th battalion of BSF arrested
an AANLA militant, identified as Arjun Gorh alias Sanjay Gorh
(27), from Naharbari village under Golaghat Police station of
Golaghat District. According to BSF sources, Arjun Gorh is the
son of late Shree Dukanur Gorh of No. 2 Panjan village under Sarupathar
Police station in Golaghat District. Preliminary investigation
said that the militant had gone to Quwani Mor area to extort money
from a Kariyana (general store) shopkeeper, Gopal Narotia, when
he was arrested by the troops of BSF. A demand note of the AANLA
of INR three hundred thousand was also recovered from the shopkeeper,
Gopal Narotia.
The Army personnel arrested an arms dealer, Abul
Hussain Barbhuiya (30), from Pangram area under Udharband Police
station near Silchar in Cachar District. Five improvised explosive
devises (IEDs) with electronic detonators and flexible wires were
recovered from his possession. Sources said that he had been supplying
arms and ammunitions to different militant outfits of North east.
The BW sought a camp at Mahur in North Cachar
Hills District to deny any conflict to Naga militant outfits in
the wake of the Dimasa outfit laying down arms. The BW feels that
Naga outfits would try to expand their area of influence in the
District, taking advantage of the ceasefire by Dimasa outfits.
The DHD is already under a ceasefire since 2003 and cadres of
the Jewel faction laid down arms this week. The NSCN-IM faction
has been demanding integration of the Naga-inhabited areas of
North Cachar Hills, contiguous to Nagaland, in its proposed Naga
homeland. Mahur is one such stretch. The DHD already has a camp
in another Naga-populated area of Maibong. The 373 BW militants
who came overground, on September 13 and September 14, are now
housed in two camps at Jatinga and Kapucherra. The non-Dimasa
population in Jatinga is objecting to the camp, fearing that it
would give an upper hand to the Dimasas in the area although it
cited a "sense of insecurity" as its reason. Sources said that
the BW, while seeking a camp at Mahur, pointed out to State Government
that the Naga militant outfit, which has a strong presence in
the Naga-dominated areas, might target Dimasa villages in these
areas.
September 19
The two employees of a central public sector undertaking,
Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited, were abducted from Mulabheti
site in Jiajuri hills under Howraghat Police Station, bordering
Karbi Anglong and Nagaon District in the night. They were identified
as Gopal Mandal and Motilal Dey. The KLNLF claimed responsibility
for the abduction of two persons and demanded INR five millions
for their release. "In the morning we received, a telephone call
from a person who claimed to be a KLNLF cadre. He told us that
Mandal and Dey were being held as hostages and demanded INR five
millions ransom from us," a company source said. The Mineral Exploration
Corporation Limited is involved in exploration of silica in Jiajuri
hills bordering Karbi Anglong. "Our team, comprising 20 members,
started exploration in March this year and we were to leave the
District just after Durga Puja (Dushhera)," the source said. "We
received no extortion letter from any organisation before the
kidnapping of the two officials," the source added.
September 20
Personnel of the GRP escorting the Silchar-Agartala
special train recovered 320 gelatines sticks and 80 metres of
fuse wire from two persons. According to Brajenjit Singha of the
GRP, the seizure was made between Badarpur and Karimganj railway
stations. The arrested persons were identified as Henry Vanlalnghaka
(25) and Lalthasanga (24).
The KLNLF stated it would never surrender weapons
for the sake of any political dialogue though it would wait for
a response from the Government till the end of September 2009.
The outfit also denied any hand in the abduction of two officials
of a mineral exploration company. The KLNLF 'publicity secretary',
Rezek Dera, said over phone from an undisclosed location that
the outfit's stand on arms surrender had been intimated to Dispur
at an informal meeting with representatives from the State Government
on September 10.
The formal surrender ceremony of the BW outfit,
earlier tentatively scheduled for September 24, is likely to be
delayed by a few more days.
September 22
At least 12 BW cadres led by self-styled 'lance
corporal' Dauthau Dimasa surrendered before the Karbi Anglong
District Police. They deposited four AK series rifles and 590
ammunition. "The surrendered cadres will be shifted to North Cachar
Hills and put up at the Jatinga camp along with the others," an
unnamed senior Police Official in the North Cachar Hills District
said.
Nearly 50 armed cadres of the BW are unaccounted
for in North Cachar Hills District. "It is an area of concern,
but since a dozen cadres surrendered even yesterday in Karbi Anglong
District, we are hopeful that the others will follow suit," a
source in the District's security apparatus said. Sources said
the outfit had given a list of about 450 cadres, but only 373
had deposited weapons and moved into designated camps on September
13 and 14. Another source said even among the 373 cadres who had
come over ground, there were several who did not appear to be
militants. Doubting that they are militants as they are very young,
he said that they could have been co-opted by the outfit to inflate
its cadre strength and also to give them an opportunity at rehabilitation
and thus an earning avenue.
September 23
Two suspected arms dealers, Asgar Ali (40) and
Hassan Ali (30), were arrested by the Army at Rajapukhuri village
Darrang District. They confessed their involvement in the recent
communal violence in Udalguri and Darrang Districts. Their interrogation
had revealed the nexus Islamist groups and some migrants organisations.
The ULFA shifted its bases and training camps
from Bangladesh to Kachin in eastern Myanmar. Army intelligence
sources said there was credible information that ULFA had set
up camps in Kachin jointly with militant groups of Manipur like
the PLA and UNLF. The ULFA has made the move with the help of
Kachin rebels, mainly the KIA, which is in ceasefire with the
military junta in Myanmar, they added. "It is back to square one
for ULFA. During its initial days, the outfit had its training
camps in Kachin but later shifted to Bangladesh. Now, the outfit
is back to Kachin, which is indeed disturbing news for us," a
source said.
A tripartite peace talk among the Union and Assam
Governments and NDFB was held in New Delhi. "The first round of
dialogue was satisfactory. It has been four years since we surrendered.
For the first time we received positive response," said NDFB 'general
secretary' Govinda Basumatary.
September 24
Two NDFB cadres, Samrat Basumatary and Biswajit
Goyari, were shot dead by the Security Forces at Monglajhora Gajenpura
under Parbatjhora sub-division in Kokrajhar District.
An engineer of a leading cellular phone service
providing company, identified as B. Singh, was abducted by militants
belonging to an unspecified anti-talk faction at Lahorijan locality
under Dillai Police Station in Bokajan sub-division of Karbi Anglong
District along Assam-Nagaland border. Police said the abducted
person was taken to Dimapur in Nagaland by the militants.
September 25
A NDFB cadre was killed by Security Forces during
an encounter near Lankar River at Petni in Chirang District. One
9-mm US-made pistol, four rounds of live ammunition, an empty
cartridge and one writing pad were recovered from the possession
of the slain militant.
September 26
Two unidentified militants shot dead a surrendered
ULFA cadre, Gunojit Bhorali (30), at Baganpara in Baksa District.
A surrendered NDFB cadre, Samaren Brahma alias
Sambram (36), was shot dead by three armed youths at Serfanguri
in Kokrajhar District. Police suspected the hands of anti-talk
faction of the NDFB led by Ranjan Daimary.
A cadre belonging to '3rd battalion' of the NDFB,
Birphung Mashahary, was shot dead by unidentified militants at
Thaisouguri under Kachugaon Police Station in Bongaigaon District.
A woman was also wounded in the attack, the sources added.
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.
The KLNLF outfit extended indefinitely the cease-fire
it unilaterally declared.
October 1
Army arrested five cadres of the ACF, identified
as Javed Kisku, Munil Rabha, Klivon Hembrom, Chunu Karmokar and
Dariya Murmo, during a search operation at Saraibail in Kokrajhar
District.
The Chief Minister said, "There is still a threat
from the NDFB and Security Forces are trying their best to thwart
such evil designs."
October 2
The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Hailakandi
Chandan Das remanded Dhanyaram Reang, 'commander-in chief' of
the UDLA, to Police custody for seven days. He was earlier arrested
by the Mizoram Police from Kolasib.
The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced
financial assistance worth INR 500 million and promised more when
360 BW cadres formally surrendered at Haflong in North Cachar
Hills District.
October 3
Three ULFA militants were shot dead by troops
during an encounter near Kendubari village in the Nalbari District.
"Based on specific intelligence about the presence of three ULFA
militants in the area, an army column laid an ambush and there
was a firefight in which the militants were shot dead," an Army
official said. A carbine, pistols, grenades, detonators and gelatine
sticks were recovered from the possession of the slain militants.
"Probably the militants were planning to strike during the Durga
Puja festival and hence carrying explosives," the official added.
October 4
At least 11 persons were killed in a attack carried
out by suspected militants belonging to the anti-talks faction
of the NDFB at Balichand area under Biswanath Chariali Police
Station in Sonitpur District. At least ten others were injured
in the attack. According to Police sources, a group of 10-12 heavily
armed militants entered Bhimajuli village, inhabited mostly by
the Nepali and Tea-tribe community, called out villagers from
their houses, and opened fire on them. On their way back, the
same group opened also fire at two other places. Police sources
said that attempts at extortion might be the reason for the attack.
October 6
The UPDS cadres captured four persons from Diphu
in the Karbi Anglong District when they were involved in an extortion
drive in the guise of KLNLF cadres, the UPDS 'defence secretary'
Lengbat Engleng informed over phone. A gun was also recovered
from their possession, said Engleng.
October 7
One ULFA militant was shot dead during an encounter
with the Army personnel at Donghap hill under Dokmoka Police Station
in Karbi Anglong District at around 4.10am (IST). However, another
ULFA militant was managed to escape taking advantage of the dense
forest. An Italy-made pistol along with some empty cartridges
was recovered from the possession of the slain militant.
The death toll in the October 4 massacre by the
NDFB militants in Sonitpur District rose to 15 as an injured woman
died in the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH). Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi, who visited the victims at the GMCH, announced a
high-level probe into the incident. "The terrorist groups are
never interested in peace in the State. Strong action will be
taken against them," he said, adding the Union Government had
turned down the State's request for more forces due to elections
in some States.
The stretch of reserve forests along the border
with Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh in the Districts of Udalguri
and Sonitpur is being virtually used as a "liberated zone" by
the militants belonging to the Ranjan Daimary faction of the NDFB
by taking advantage of the lack of adequate security presence
in the area. Official sources said that vigilance in the area
has been very limited and there is hardly any presence of the
administration. The SFs reportedly launch operations in the area
only when a major incident of violence takes place and whenever
such operations are launched, the militants take advantage of
the terrain to cross over either to Bhutan or to Arunachal Pradesh.
The Home Secretaries and Inspectors-General of
Police (intelligence) of the Northeastern States are scheduled
to meet on October 9 at Guwahati to review the threat from militants
and firm up an adequate response. The meeting will also discuss
ways to tone up intelligence gathering and modernisation of the
Police force. It will review the security situation, the progress
of rehabilitation of surrendered militants and upgrading of training
and infrastructure for the Police force.
October 8
The Bodo Women's Justice Forum president and the
sister of Ranjan Daimary - Chief of the anti-talks faction of
the NDFB - Anjali Daimary, survived an attempt on her life when
unidentified militants fired at her car at Barama College in Baksa
District in the afternoon.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced the Government's
decision to raise compensation to the next of kin of those killed
in extremist-related violence to INR 500000. An official press
release quoting the Chief Minister said the amount has been increased
from INR 300000 to INR 500000.
October 9
One rice mill owner, Supen Swargiary, was shot
dead and a CRPF trooper, Ajay Basumatary, injured when unidentified
militants opened fired at them near Majrabari under Salbari sub-division
of Baksa District.
October 11
A ULFA militant, identified as Prasanta Bora,
was arrested by the Police from New Balighat area of Lakhimpur
District. Bora belongs to the 28th Battalion of the ULFA.
Construction companies and businessmen in the
North Cachar Hills District are still reportedly receiving extortion
demands from the BW despite the surrender of a large number of
militants from the outfit. "The calls are more of a request now,"
a Police official posted in the District said. He said the demands
were generally for a few millions of rupees. "The cadres may be
staying in designated camps and their movement monitored but in
the days of cell phone, calls cannot be stopped," the official
added.
The Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said the Union
Government should take steps to check the Naga militants in North
Cachar Hills District which shares its boundary with Manipur,
Nagaland and Meghalaya. There were "regular" reports of the NSCN
militants going on an extortion spree in the District after the
BW militants surrendered.
October 12
The Police arrested two NDFB militants,
identified as Dhananjay Mushahary and Rajib Narzary, from Balukjhora
area in Kokrajhar District.
The Army personnel arrested one
ULFA cadre, identified as Paresh Deka, from Chamatiapara village
in the Darrang District.
One KLNLF militant, identified
as Babul Ingtey, was arrested by the Police from Deithor area
under Bokajan Police Station in Karbi Anglong District.
One MULTA cadre, identified as
Osman Gani (32), was arrested by the Army personnel from Nayagaon
area of Dhubri District.
October 13
The Unified Command of Security
Forces is reported to have instructed its operations group to
take all measures to neutralise the Ranjan Daimary faction of
the NDFB. According to Telegraph, a meeting of the strategy
group of the Unified Command, chaired by Chief Secretary P.C.
Sharma, also discussed the issue of raising SPOs in the vulnerable
areas of Assam as declared by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and identified
the weapons seized from militants over the years for arming the
new units. Gogoi made the declaration during a visit to Bhimajuli
last week after 13 persons were killed by militants belonging
to the Daimary faction. The meeting was the first meeting of the
strategy group after the Bhimajuli massacre.
October 14
Three traders were abducted by
unidentified militants from the Lumding reserve forest of Karbi
Anglong District in the night. Sources said they were on their
way from the North Cachar Hills District to Lanka in Karbi Anglong
in a vehicle when militants waylaid the vehicle. The driver was
allowed to leave along with the vehicle.
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram
said the Union Government would hold talks with the ULFA only
after it lays down arms and warned that otherwise Security Forces
would take appropriate action.
October 17
Suspected militants of Ranjan
Daimary faction of the NDFB abducted P. Krishna Rao, a project
manager of Gayatri-East Coast Insulation (Gayatri ECI), at gunpoint
from Karigaon Joypur in Kokrajhar District. Rao was supervising
work on the East-West corridor project at Karigaon Joypur in Kokrajhar
when he was abducted by five motor-cycle-borne youths. The militants
also fired three rounds in the air when the workers at the construction
site tried to resist them. The abductors escaped north along National
Highway 31C that leads to the Bhutan border through the Ripu-Chirang
forest.
Two NDFB militants, identified
as Uday Basumatary and Minu Basumatary, were arrested by Security
Forces in Chirang District. A pistol and some incriminating documents
were recovered from their possession.
October 18
A constable of the Assam Police,
identified as Bhuban Regal, was injured in an encounter with the
Ranjan Daimary faction of the NDFB at Chachapani Gambarughat area
under Bogsibari Police Station in the Kokrajhar District at around
3.15pm (IST).
Unidentified militants abducted
Tafajjul Ali Barbhuiya, a prominent advocate of Hailakandi, at
gun-point from Triganga village in the Jamira area of Hailakandi
District near Assam-Mizoram border in the night. Barbhuiya was
staying at the residence of his relative Jalaluddin in Triganga.
Police sources said a group of at least 14 militants, dressed
in army attire, attacked the residence of Jalaluddin and abducted
Barbhuiya at gun-point. Saidur Rahman and Abidur Rahman, sons
of Jalajuddin, tried to resist the militants. The group reportedly
started firing and also assaulted Nejamuddin, the wife of Jalaluddin.
Later, they took away Barbhuiya towards a dense forest near the
Assam-Mizoram border. Monoranjan Das, Officer-in-Charge of the
Jamira Police Outpost, said the abduction was probably the handiwork
of Ataur-Bahini, a newly formed outfit which has resorted to kidnapping
and extortion in the border area.
Five militants, including a woman,
of the 28th battalion of the ULFA were arrested. Two militants,
hailing from Amguri in the Sibsagar District, were arrested from
the Hengerabari area of Guwahati city. In addition, three more
militants, including the woman, were arrested from the Gandhibasti
area of Guwahati. A 9-mm pistol along with some arms and ammunition
were recovered from the possession of the arrested militants.
While two of them were identified as a militant couple from Sibsagar,
the other one hailed from Sualkuchi near Guwahati.
The Union Government has directed
the Assam Rifles to move its troops closer to the sensitive India-Myanmar
frontier in order to curb cross-border movement of militants,
arms and drugs. Most of the Assam Rifles troops, which functions
under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Home
Affairs and operational command of the Army, are currently deployed
40 kilometres away from the international border. "We have
directed the Assam Rifles to deploy forces closer to the border
to stop militants and smugglers having a free run," an unnamed
Home Ministry official said.
October 19
Lakhiram Baskey, a cadre of the
BCF, which is currently under a cease-fire agreement with the
Government, was shot dead by unidentified militants at Puthimari
village under Kalagaon Police Station area in Udalguri District.
The Udalguri District committee of the BCF called a 12-hour Udalguri
bandh (general shutdown) on October 22 in protest against
the killing.
A cache of arms and ammunition
were recovered from Amarpur and Deopani Reserve forests under
Sadiya Police Station in Tinsukia District. The cache, hidden
in sacks and buried by suspected United Liberation Front of Asom
(ULFA) militants in the forests, include one AK-56 rifle, one
SLR, a grenade launcher, four 9-mm pistols, four pen pistols,
two grenades, 13 pistol magazines, 35 kilograms of RDX and some
currency.
The Security Forces recovered
a letter which shows evidence of the ULFA purchasing arms from
the LTTE of Sri Lanka. The letter, written in Assamese, mentioned
that the outfit had paid a huge amount of money to the LTTE very
recently to purchase arms. "The money was probably paid just
before the downfall of the LTTE," a senior army officer said.
Although there were unconfirmed reports earlier about ULFA’s links
with the LTTE, the letter was the first hard evidence of such
links.
October 20
SFs recovered a cache of arms
and ammunition from an Adivasi (tribal)-dominated area in Kokrajhar
District, raising worries that the CPI-Maoist could have infiltrated
much deeper into the region. The arms were found at Shoshanghutu
near Mornai tea estate under Gossaigaon police station in the
Kokrajhar District. Three persons, Amit Hembrum, Soreken Murmu
and Tirthi Tudu, suspected to be members of the STF were also
arrested in this connection. The recovery includes one AK-47 series
rifle, two Bulgarian-made 9 mm pistols, one 7.65 US-made pistol,
one country-made carbine, a 15 kilograms IED, 2 kilograms gunpowder,
120 live ammunition, six magazines and 28 gelatine sticks. "The
Maoists are known to be trying to spread their wings in the state
with the help of other Adivasi militants groups, including the
STF", said a senior Police official. As reported earlier,
the STF had snatched two SLR rifles from Police personnel at Champa
bazaar in Chirang District on October 12, 2009.
Three NSCN-IM cadres were arrested
in Haflong market in North Cachar Hills District while they came
to extort money. The militants were identified as Kehu Bangbe,
Kongjur Bangbe and Abe Bebe Lome.
A team of the UPDS led by its
‘general secretary’ Haren Bey left for New Delhi for tripartite
talks involving the State Government and the Union Government.
The tripartite talks, seventh of its kind with the outfit, will
be held on October 22. The team also includes its ‘defence secretary’
Lengbong Engleng and ‘finance secretary’ Dhan Rongpi. They said
their demand for a separate State, Hemprek-Khangphin, will come
up for discussion in the talks. They hoped that the talks will
bear fruits and that they will deposit arms only after the tripartite
talks. While arms of the UPDS designated camp at Diphu were deposited
to the Government, arms of two other designated camps — one at
Deopani and the other at Hemren — have not been laid down by the
outfit as yet.
October 21
A Gram Panchayat (village level
local-self Government Institution) president, Muzaffar Ali (38),
belonging to the AUDF was shot dead by unidentified militants
at Bamuntary under Baghbar Police Station in Barpeta District
around 11 am (IST). Muzaffar Ali was the president of Chikni Gram
Panchayat. According to sources, Ali was coming to Kalgachia from
Chikna when four unidentified militants shot at him from close
range with a revolver killing him on the spot. One of the militants,
identified as Kader Ali, was captured on the spot by the locals
and later handed over to the Police. However, the three others
managed to escape.
S Sangjarang, ‘publicity chief’
of the pro-talks faction of the NDFB, was shot at and injured
by unidentified militants at a crowded market in the Udalguri
town of Udalguri District. "Sangjarang was coming on a motorbike
when two assailants, also on a motorcycle, fired at him from close
range with small arms," a senior Police official said.
The SFs arrested six cadres of
the Ranjan Daimary faction of the NDFB from Mazbat and Rowtabagan
Railway Station area in Udalguri District. While three NDFB cadres
were arrested at Mazbat, three others were arrested from Rowtabagan
railway station area.
October 22
A suspected NDFB militant was
shot dead and another injured in an encounter with the SFs in
Jharbari village in the Kokrajhar District.
Five ULFA militants, including
a girl, surrendered before the Assam Police in Goalpara District.
They were identified as Jayanta Rabha, Machin Rabha, Dulendra
Rabha, Durgeswar Rabha and Damayanti Rabha. They deposited an
AK-56 rifle and two pistols.
Two cadres of the 28th
battalion of the ULFA surrendered before the Dibrugarh Deputy
Commissioner Gyanendra Dev Tripathy in Dibrugarh District. The
duo was identified as Sontu Changmai alias Bijoy Bailung
and Pranab Duwara alias Simanta Gogoi. They deposited two
pistols along with eight rounds live ammunition and a radio set.
The Hailakandi court lawyer Taffajul
Ali Barbhuyan, who had been abducted by militants on October 18,
returned to his Gaachtala Road residence in Hailakandi around
8pm (IST).
October 23
Police shot dead two NDFB militants
at Singhimari village under Guma Reserved Forest under Gossaigaon
Police Station in Kokrajhar District. Two Chinese pistols, hand
made grenades and other live ammunition were recovered from the
possession of the slain militants.
A suspected ULFA militant, believed
to be on a bombing mission to the Guwahati city, was shot dead
in an encounter with Police at Pamohi under Gorchuk Police Station
around 2 AM (IST). A 9mm pistol and a polythene bag containing
one-and-a-half kilograms of explosive powder, detonators and timers
were recovered from the incident site.
Police arrested four persons,
whose identity is yet to be established, on extortion charges
in the name of NDFB in Barpeta town.
An NDFB linkman, Paner Ali, was
arrested by the Army from Panbari in Dhubri District. An extortion
note for a contractor was also recovered from his possession.
The Dilip Nunisa faction of the
DHD, which concluded its two-day talks in Delhi on October 22,
warned the Union Government of severe consequences if its demand
for a Dimaraji State is not met. Nunisa told over phone from New
Delhi that October 22’s discussions had ended on a "positive note"
but the Dimasa group had warned the Union Government not to take
its principal demand of a separate Dimaraji State lightly. He
said "if it was spurned, the "consequences would be severe". He,
however, did not spell out the consequences. Nunisa said senior
officials of the Union Government and the State Government had
agreed to "examine" their demand for Dimaraji State in every detail
and from all angles. The pro-talks Dimasa group was represented
by a four-member delegation, including ‘Chairman’ Dilip Nunisa
and ‘commander-in-chief’ Pranab Nunisa.
October 25
A militant of the Ranjan Daimary
faction of NDFB, identified as Alongbar Basumatary (20), was shot
dead when unidentified militants suspected to be from the cease-fire
group fired at him at Sialmari Naosali in Kokrajhar District.
The Assam Rifles personnel recovered
an improvised explosive device weighing about four kilograms from
Dolabari area under Dolabari Police Station of Sonitpur District.
One person, Nanul Ali, from the area was arrested in this connection
for further investigation.
The ULFA alleged that the Government
of India is not interested in restoration of permanent peace in
Assam. In a statement e-mailed to the media, the ULFA chairman
Arabinda Rajkhowa said that the Government of India was adopting
different yardstick for talks with different outfits. He said
the Government has been demanding that the ULFA should surrender
weapons for talks, while, talks with Naga outfits have been going
on for years without surrender of arms. Rajkhowa said the Chief
Minister of West Bengal even released as many as 23 members of
Maoist groups to hold talks with them and the Government of India
has been adopting a separate policy only for Assam.
The cases of abduction, particularly
in the areas where the anti-talks faction of the NDFB is active,
has become a cause of concern and such acts have also reportedly
slowed down the progress of major schemes, including the construction
of the East West Corridor project. According to reports available
with the Police, more than 30 people, including officials of the
National Highway Authority of India, Railways etc., were abducted
by the NDFB in 2009, which affected implementation of the major
projects. Sources said that all abduction cases were not being
reported to Police and only the abduction of high profile persons
came to light through the media. Official sources said militants
belonging to the anti-talks faction normally use the forest belt
along the border with Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to keep the
abducted persons by taking advantage of the fact that there is
very little presence of Security Forces in that area and there
have been instances when the kidnapped persons were shifted to
Bhutan or Arunachal Pradesh whenever any major offensive is launched
by the Security Forces.
October 26
Two unidentified motorcycle-borne
militants shot dead a bank employee, Sarat Das, at Banbhag Solmari
in the Nalbari District.
Two National Democratic Front
of Bodoland (NDFB) militants, Binod Basumatary and Sonam Goyary,
and a linkman, Chanchal Chakraborty, were arrested by Police at
Bijni in Chirang District.
October 27
Security Forces shot dead a militant
of the Ranjan Daimary faction of the NDFB, identified as Hadetsa
Basumatary (28), in an encounter that took place near Panbari
under Bijni Police Station in the Chirang District in the night.
October 28
Indian Army soldiers arrested
four militants from Chiri Bridge on the National Highway-53 under
Lakhipur subdivision in Cachar District. One of the arrested militants
was identified as K. H. Gyaneshwar Singh (32), of Bishenpur District
in the State of Manipur. Army sources said he was a ‘second lieutenant’
of the PLA. The other three militants were reported to be UNLF
cadres hailing from Lakhipur. They were identified as Nilot Chandra
Sinha (40) of Nayagram, Thomba Sinha (32) of Kunjenleikai and
K Premjit Sinha alias Ranjit of Orabil under Lakhipur Police Station.
A militant of the Ranjan Daimary
faction of NDFB, identified as Minihang Basumatary, was arrested
by the Security Forces from Balagaon in Kokrajhar District.
The BW militants, who earlier
surrendered in North Cachar Hills District and are currently housed
in four designated camps, have started issuing demand notes to
the contractors engaged in the Silchar-Lumding Broad Gauge Project
within just three weeks of the ceremonial surrender. A source
close to the Railway Contractors’ Association said the surrendered
BW militants attacked a vehicle of the ABCI, a construction company,
on October 18, 2009 and damaged it. The driver of the vehicle
was also assaulted by the militants, the source said. The incident
took place at Kapurcherra where a designated camp for the surrendered
militants has been started. Meanwhile, another source said that
the October 18 incident was actually the handiwork of the splinter
faction of BW led by James Dimasa.
October 29
SFs recovered two IEDs from a
granary at Panchnoi village in Sonitpur District in the night.
The Union Government initiated
its first round of formal talks with the pro-talks faction of
the ULFA. Leaders of the pro-talks faction, Mrinal Hazarika, Jiten
Dutta and Prabal Neog, held nearly an hour-long meeting with the
Assistant Director of Intelligence Bureau, R.N. Ravi, in Guwahati.
"We hope that the talks will lead us to the right direction,"
Mrinal Hazarika said after the meeting. The pro-talks ULFA faction
had earlier announced it was giving up its demand for sovereignty
or independence and instead wanted greater autonomy, inner-line
permit, total sealing of international border etc for Assam. There
were no representatives from the Assam Government in the meeting.
October 30
An unidentified NDFB militant
was shot dead in an encounter with Police near Railway Gate No
6 at Noonmati in Guwahati in the early morning. Police sources
said that an encounter took place between a group of four militants
and Security Forces at around 3:30 am (IST). While one militant
died in the firing, the rest managed to escape from the encounter
site. Two Programmable Timer Devices (PTDs), an electronic detonator,
batteries, and a pistol besides some ammunition were recovered
from the encounter site. It is suspected that these NDFB militants
entered the city to indulge in subversive activities on October
30, on the first anniversary of the deadly serial blasts in the
city.
Two militants of Ranjan Daimary
faction of NDFB, identified as Gendra Mushahary and Motilal Basumatary,
surrendered before Kokrajhar Superintendent of Police, P.K. Dutta.
Police sources said the surrendered cadres joined Ranjan Daimary
fraction six months back.
October 31
Nur Rahman, the SDO of the irrigation
department’s Tangla division, was rescued from Ramhari village
near Bhakatpara under Mongoldoi Police Station in the Darrang
District at around 3pm (IST), four hours after he was abducted
from Ambagaon. Police said the abductors were from the ULFA outfit
and had been identified and operations are on to arrest the militants.
Rahman was returning after inspecting the Kawadanga irrigation
project when four motorcycle-borne militants waylaid his official
jeep near Ambagaon and abducted him at gunpoint. The militants
also took away the mobile phones of the jeep’s driver, Prafulla
Talukdar, and junior engineer Lakhi Saikia, who was accompanying
Rahman. Acting on a tip-off, police rescued Rahman from a house
in Ramhari. "The abductors fled when they saw Security personnel
conducing house-to-house search in the area," the Police official
said.
A plan to abduct a railway engineer
by NDFB militants was foiled in Nalbari District. Police said
there was concrete information about an attempt to abduct R. Ram,
the chief engineer (rack procurement). Ram was inspecting a project
site on the railway tracks between Koithalkuchi and Nalbari when
a team of Police rushed to the area and escorted him to safety.
November 1
One NDFB militant, identified
as Jathi Brahma (28), was arrested by the Police at Bijni in the
Chirang District at around 9am (IST). Police sources said the
militant was on an extortion mission.
November 2
Two suspected ULFA militants were arrested by
the Security Force personnel at an unidentified location in the
Morigaon District. A 9 mm pistol with six rounds of ammunition
and a motorcycle were recovered from the possession of the arrested
militants.
November 3
Two persons were arrested by the Police when they
were trying to extort money in the guise of ULFA cadres in capital
Dispur. "The fake ULFA cadres were arrested after a tip-off,"
Police said.
November 4
An unidentified KLNLF militant was shot dead in
an encounter with a joint team of the Army and Assam Police at
Hawai Ingti village under Baithalangsu Police Station in Karbi
Anglong District at 4.30am (IST).
Dulen Saikia, a surrendered ULFA militant, was
arrested by the Guwahati City Police on charges of collecting
extortion money in the name of the ULFA outfit.
The BCF has warned the ruling Congress party that
it would work against the party in the 2011 Legislative Assembly
elections if it was not included in the peace process at the earliest.
The outfit's warning has come in the wake of the Union Government's
proposal to hold talks with three militant outfits of the Northeast.
The outfit's 'commander-in-chief', Birsing Munda, said they were
at a loss over New Delhi's policy to exclude the outfit which
had been in a cease-fire and instead hold talks with the BW, the
pro-talks faction of the NDFB and the UPDS. The Union Home Minister,
P. Chidambaram, said on October 30 that the Centre would hold
talks with the three outfits in consultation with the State Government
and that former Intelligence Bureau chief P.C. Haldar had been
appointed the interlocutor. An intelligence report had reportedly
revealed that the BCF had been aiding the Santhali Tiger Force,
which is why the Centre has not shown much interest to hold talks
with them. "We have nothing to do with the Santhali Tiger Force.
These are only attempts to malign the two outfits," Munda clarified.
The demands of the outfit comprise creation of a satellite autonomous
council for the Adivasi, Scheduled Tribes status and adequate
security, among others.
November 5
Suspected ULFA militants shot dead a 13-year-old
nephew of a surrendered ULFA (SULFA) cadre, apparently in a case
of mistaken identity, in the Balichapori village under Garmurh
Police station of Majuli in the Jorhat District. The Police also
recovered two empty cartridges of AK-47 rifles from the incident
site. Jintu Bora, a Class VIII student of Kathimotia High School,
was shot dead when he and his uncle, Dipak Bora, a surrendered
ULFA cadre, were about to enter their house at Balichapori village
under around 11pm (IST) after returning from Ras festivities.
Sources said Dipak was the target of the ULFA militants as he
was a Police informer and had played a crucial role in the killing
of ULFA militant Amrit Dutta, a key accused in the Sanjoy Ghose
murder case. Dutta was killed in an encounter with SFs in Majuli
early 2009. Dipak had joined ULFA in 1995 and was a cadre of the
Bravo Company of 28th Battalion and later surrendered in 2007.
The SFs arrested three cadres of the anti-talks
faction of the NDFB, Chakra Brahma, Sanjay Basumatary and Minisra
Basumatary, from Basbari in Kokrajhar District.
November 6
An unidentified NDFB cadre was shot dead in an
encounter with the Police at Rongjuli in the Goalpara District.
November 7
Two top ULFA leaders, Sashadhar Choudhury and
Chitraban Hazairka, were produced by the Special Operation Unit
of the Assam Police in the court of Chief Metropolitan Judicial
Magistrate of Kamrup. Although the Police sought 14-day custody
of the two, the court remanded them to 10 days, said Bijan Mahajan,
senior advocate and counsel for the two ULFA leaders. The ULFA
leaders, believed to have been arrested in the Bangladeshi capital
Dhaka in the midnight of November 1 and handed over to the Border
Security Force in Tripura on November 6, were flown in a chartered
aircraft to the city and immediately taken away to headquarters
of the Special Branch of Assam Police at Kahilipara. However,
replying to questions from journalists, Choudhury said they had
not surrendered and that Bangladesh Police commandos arrested
them. Of the 16 members of the ULFA's central executive committee,
four are in a Guwahati jail: 'vice-chairman' Pradip Gogoi, 'adviser'
Bhimkanta Buragohain, 'cultural secretary' Pranati Deka, 'central
publicity secretary' Mithinga Daimari. Another leader Ramu Mech
is on parole.
The ULFA called for a 12-hour State wide general
shutdown from 6 a.m. on November 9 demanding an unconditional
release of the two arrested leaders. In a statement issued through
an e-mail, ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa described the arrest
of the two leaders as a "ploy to sabotage the process of finding
a political solution to the problem and destroy ULFA militarily."
November 8
Two unidentified ULFA cadres were shot dead by
the Police in an encounter at Guardal on the Tihu-Akhara Road
in Nalbari District in the evening. Police sources said that two
ULFA cadres laid an ambush targeting Nalbari SP Jitmol Doley and
fired at the SP and other personnel accompanying him. In the encounter
that followed, the two ULFA cadres were shot dead. Two 9 mm pistols
were recovered from the possession of the slain militants.
A bomb kept in a jute bag exploded at Rokakhata
Lower Primary School under Bilasipara Police station in Dhubri
District around 10am (IST). However, there was no casualty in
the blast as there was no splinter in the bomb. Police said some
labourers found the bag on the roof of the school while they were
dismantling it for reconstruction.
November 9
Unidentified militants shot dead one person, identified
as Bhakti Raj Khatiwada (37), at Tiniali Bazaar in Kokrajhar District
at 10pm (IST). The Gorkha Parisangh of Assam and several other
Gorkha organisations have called a 12-hour Bodo Territorial Council
region bandh (general shutdown) on November 11 in protest against
the killing.
Police arrested a NDFB militant, identified as
Mridul Goyari, an accused in the October 30, 2008 twin blasts
at Barpeta Road that claimed 21 lives, from Tezpur in Sonitpur
District. The militant was handed over to Central Bureau of Investigation
officials who had filed a chargesheet against him for his alleged
involvement in the blasts.
Officials engaged in the construction of the 4MW
Hayen hydel project in Chirang District stopped work and left
the area after unidentified militants of the Ranjan Daimary faction
of the NDFB served an extortion demand of 3% of the total project
cost of INR 33 Million. The project manager, who is from outside
Assam, and some officials have already left the project site out
of fear and others are reluctant to visit the site. The NDFB demand
comes in the wake of the abduction of P. Krishna Rao, the project
manager of Gayatri-East Coast Insulation, who is suspected to
have been abducted by the NDFB on October 16, 2008. Sources said
the demand was made to a senior official of the project over phone.
The dawn-to-dusk Assam shutdown called by the
ULFA passed of peacefully, evoking mixed response. The outfit
called the shutdown in protest against the arrest of two of its
top leaders, Sasha Choudhury and Chitraban Hazarika.
November 10
A suspected KLNLF militant was shot dead in an
encounter with the SFs at Hawai Engti village under Baithalangso
Police Station in the Karbi Anglong District. One .38 mm revolver,
five live ammunitions, several incriminating documents and enrolment
format papers were recovered from the possession of the slain
militant.
Police recovered one hand-made rifle along with
three rounds of ammunition from the house and campus of a person
identified as Chand Miya from Silbori village under Dalgaon Police
Station in the Nalbari District.
The BSF personnel arrested three KLNLF militants
and two linkmen from Dolamara in the Karbi Anglong District in
the morning. The arrested militants were identified as Mahi Ram
(35), Juna Taro, Tarte Rongphar (40) and their linkmen Gaon Bura
Rongphar (50) and Sar Singhterana (30).
A group of newly trained ULFA militants have reportedly
been asked to enter Assam and launch attacks to avenge the arrest
of the outfit's leaders Chitrabon Hazarika and Sasha Choudhury,
intelligence sources have revealed, triggering a security alert
along the India-Myanmar border. A source said radio intercepts
over the last few days suggested that a group comprising about
25 cadres from the 28th battalion had been asked to
break up into smaller units to enter Assam. "We believe there
could be strikes in retaliation to the arrest of Choudhury and
Hazarika to show ULFA is as strong as ever," a source in the Army
said. The 28th battalion had recruited about 50-60 cadres in 2008,
soon after the Alpha and the Charlie companies of the battalion
came over-ground by declaring a unilateral cease-fire. "These
cadres have completed training in Myanmar and Nagaland's Mon District
and are ready for battle," the unnamed official said.
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.
Suspected Reang militants abducted Abdul Barbhuiyan
(71) from South Hailakandi area of the Hailakandi District in
the night. Barbhuiyan is the father-in-law of Karicherra-Dariyarghat
Gram Panchayat (Village level Local-self Government) president
Rustana Begum. Sources said at least eight militants, dressed
in Army attire, entered the residence of Rustana Begum and abducted
Barbhuiyan at gunpoint. Meanwhile, a source said that the abductors
had already contacted the family of Barbhuiyan and demanded a
ransom.
November 12
The Army personnel recovered an IED, weighing
three kilograms, hidden under a stack of firewood from the residence
of Bipul Hazarika of Dirak Torajonia village under Kakopathar
Police Station in Tinsukia District. Hazarika's son Champak has
been arrested in this connection.
The 'cultural secretary' of ULFA, Pranati Deka,
is reported to have said that peace talks between the Government
and the ULFA are possible if the former wants so. Replying to
a reporter's queries when she was being produced in the court
in Guwahati in connection with a case against her, Deka said "The
ULFA problems can be solved if the Government of India takes steps
with due respect to our demands. I believe in peaceful solution
to the ULFA problems through talks."
November 13
A cadre of the anti-talks faction of the NDFB
was shot dead in an encounter with the SF personnel at Kagrabari
in Baksa District. Two pistols and five grenades were recovered
from the possession of the slain militants.
Suspected Hmar militants from Manipur attacked
a Police outpost at Chekerchum under Dholai Police Station in
Cachar District and injured five IRB personnel and looted a huge
quantity of arms and ammunition. The militants also abducted five
persons from the adjacent Khasia punji area. They also abducted
a medical compounder for treatment of the injuries they sustained
during the attack on the outpost. The militants took away two
9 mm carbines, two 762 LMGs, one mortar, six .9mm-calibre magazines,
12 high explosive bombs, six smoke bombs, six hand grenades, 5,445
cartridges, 42 SLR magazines, 20 SLRs and one automatic pistol.
The militants also damaged wireless sets and snatched away six
mobile phone sets, money and uniform. A top-ranking Police official
said local villagers might have joined the militants. He suspected
that it was the handiwork of the HPDC, a Hmar militant outfit
active in Manipur, the adjacent border area to Cachar.
The SFs arrested two AANLA militants from the
Singgaon area of Udalguri District.
Two cadres of the Ranjan Daimary faction of the
NDFB, identified as Sudem Basumatary alias Sonen and Jaikholong
Gwra Brahma Jaison, surrendered before the Superintendent of Police
of Kokrajhar District P.K. Dutta. They also surrendered one 9
mm pistol and three rounds of live ammunition.
November 15
Based on the information provided by two surrendered
militants, the SFs recovered a cache of explosives, arms and ammunition
inside Ripu Chirang reserve forest bordering Bhutan in Kokrajhar
District. The cache is suspected to belong to the Ranjan Daimary
faction of the NDFB. The seizure included 15 grenades of different
makes, one made in Pakistan, timers, two IEDs, three FM radio
receivers, 156 detonators, a US-made auto pistol and three locally-made
pistols, besides ammunition. A Police source said that two NDFB
cadres, Jaikhlong Gwra Brahma and Suren Basumatary alias Sudem,
who surrendered before the Kokrajhar Police on November 13, revealed
that a consignment was hidden in the area. The Kokrajhar Superintendent
of Police, P.K. Dutt said "there was information about NDFB militants
ferrying consignments of arms and explosives from Bangladesh into
the District to carry out strikes. There is a possibility of presence
of more such consignments in the Tipkai area bordering Dhubri
District".
The UPDS deposited a large quantity of arms before
the Assam Police at Deoyani designated camp under Bokajan subdivision
in Karbi Anglong District. The District Superintendent of Police
K.K. Sarma and SDPO C.K. Gogoi led the Police team, while the
UPDS team was led by its 'defence secretary' Lengbat Engleng,
'joint secretary' Nanda Terang and 'finance secretary' Dhon Rongpi.
The militants deposited as many as nine AK-56 rifles with 4,437
ammunition and 44 magazines, four AK-47 rifles, one AK-71 rifle,
one SLR with 597 ammunition and one magazine, 319 ammunition and
one magazine of M-16 rifle, one 303 rifle with 3,825 ammunition
and one magazine, one US carbine with 29 ammunition and one magazine,
two sterling carbines with 408 ammunition and three magazines,
one M-21 rifle, two SBBL with 60 ammunition and 50 magazines,
one 9 mm pistol with 452 ammunition and four magazines, two pistols,
two .32 pistols with three magazines, two 40 mm UBGL and 11 ammunition,
one rocket launcher with three shells and five LR grenade shells.
Talking to media persons, 'defence secretary' Lengbat Engleng
requested the Government to speed up the peace process for early
solution to the problems afflicting Karbi Anglong.
November 16
Unidentified militants shot at the BPPF youth
wing 'president' Kabi Ranjan Brahma and killed his driver, Dharmananda
Das, at Chandamari near Gauranga River under Kokrajhar District
at 6pm (IST). Kabi Ranjan Brahma sustained bullet injuries in
each of his thighs. Kabi Ranjan Brahma said that unidentified
militants laid an ambush when he was returning to Kokrajhar from
Banaragaon and opened indiscriminate firing.
An unidentified NDFB militant was shot dead in
an encounter with the Security Forces at Ambari near the Aie River
in Chirang District.
The NDFB has announced its support to the CPI-Maoist.
"I would like to greet and congratulate the Maoists who are fighting
for their legitimate rights and also extend all help to them in
their fight against the ruling cliques," the NDFB 'chairman' D.
R. Nabla said in a statement e-mailed to IANS.
November 17
Unidentified militants shot dead two activists
of the BPPF and injured three others at the party's office at
Jalaikhw in the Kokrajhar District late in the night. The attack
came a few hours after the BPPF youth wing President Kabiranjan
Brahma was shot at by militants at Chandmari in Kokrajhar. While
one person, 27-year old Biswajit Narzary, died on the spot, the
other person, identified as 18-year old Laokob Narzary, succumbed
to his injuries later. The three injured persons were identified
as Tarzen Brahma, Samal Narzary and Dabla Basumatary. Police sources
said the incident occurred after 11pm (IST) when five to seven
masked militants came to the BPPF office and opened fire using
AK-47 rifles on the sleeping party workers. The BPPF President,
Rabiram Narzary, later said, "It is a political conspiracy and
the NDFB is behind the incidents."
Suspected ULFA militants blew up a petrol-laden
train at Changpool in the Golaghat District. The train was bound
for the State of Uttar Pradesh from the Numaligarh Refinery Ltd
(NRL). A railway spokesperson said that the train with 48 wagons
of high-speed diesel and petrol from the NRL caught fire near
Changpool. At least 20 wagons went up in flames and a loss of
INR 100 million has been estimated, officials said. "We initially
thought that the fire broke out after the train jumped the rails.
But now we believe that it was because of a powerful explosion
on the rail track. We have managed to recover wires and other
materials used in triggering blasts from the site," a senior Assam
Police official said. At least 10 more wagons were derailed and
the petroleum product spilled on to the ground. The area is a
stronghold of both the ULFA and AANLA.
Army personnel arrested a 'sergeant' of the KLNLF,
identified as Chondron Timung, at Panimoor under Umrangso Police
Station in the North Cachar Hills District and recovered a pistol
and live ammunition.
P. Krishna Rao, project manager of the Gayatri-East
Coast Insulation, who was abducted by suspected NDFB militants
on October 16, 2009 was released near Karigaon in the Kokrajhar
District. Rao, originally from the Krishna District of Andhra
Pradesh, was supervising work on the East-West corridor project
at Joypur near Karigaon when he was abducted by five motorcycle-borne
militants. Sources said Rao walked from the spot he was released
along the National Highway 31C to his company office at Kajalgaon
after his release. He was subsequently driven to an undisclosed
location by company officials with Police security and was later
said to have been taken to Guwahati. The abductors reportedly
demanded INR 2O million in exchange of the abducted officer. It
is not clear if ransom money was paid.
The NIA, which is probing the alleged diversion
of funds of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council to the BW
outfit, has charge-sheeted the former chief of the council, Mohit
Hojai, and 13 others, including the BW's 'chief' Jewel Gorlosa
and 'commander-in-chief' Niranjan Hojai. The NIA also prayed before
the court to summon Hojai, who is lodged in a designated camp
after surrendering on October 2, 2009 along with other cadres
of the outfit. A source in the NIA said the court could, if it
wanted, remand Niranjan Hojai in custody. The accused have been
charged under Sections 120 (B), 121, 121 (A) of the Indian Penal
Code and Sections 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Act of 1967.
November 18
A NDFB militant, identified as Suraj Basumatary,
was shot dead by the Security Forces at Ambari village in the
Chirang District. A 9-mm pistol with four rounds of ammunition
and some incriminating documents were recovered from his possession.
Several cadres of the BW outfit are reported to
have fled from their designated camps in North Cachar Hills District
along with weapons over the past three days. Confirming the desertion,
the 'chairman' of pro-talks faction of the DHD, Dilip Nunisa,
blamed it on the cadres' frustration over the slow progress of
talks with the Government. Nunisa said over phone from Haflong
that the first desertion by 11 unarmed cadres was from a camp
in Umrangsu, an industrial town 140 kilometres from Haflong in
North Cachar Hills District, on November 15. Another group of
four cadres fled from the Deogbra camp, taking at least four AK-47
assault rifles with them in the night of November 18. All the
deserters are from lower ranks, Nunisa said. Police in Haflong
suspect that the deserters could join the newly formed James faction
of the BW which was not part of the mass surrender by the BW outfit
on October 2, 2009. The James faction is said to comprise 20-25
cadres. The names of the fugitives are yet to be identified.
The Ranjan Daimary faction of the banned NDFB
constituted its new 'executive committee' with Ranjan Daimary
as the 'president', Dinthi Gwra Narzary as 'general secretary',
'captain' Sangbijit as 'commander-of-staff' and Barbai Basumatary
as 'assistant publicity secretary'.
November 19
Unidentified Naga militants shot dead Cham Bahadur
Chetri (39), headmaster of Devinagar Primary School at Davinagar,
three kilometres from Haflong in North Cachar Hills District late
in the night.
Unidentified militants shot dead one civilian,
identified as Subhas Basumatary of Tilogaon, at Chautaki under
Salakati Police station in Kokrajhar District at around 9.40am
(IST). Basumatary, a former BPFPR activist, was on his way to
Kokrajhar on a bicycle when four militants on two motorcycles
shot him in a paddy field. He was hit by four bullets and died
on the spot. The Police later recovered three empty cases of 7.65
pistols from the spot.
A KNF militant, identified as identified as Acaiho
Haokip, was shot dead by Police at 3 am at Panichowki Punji in
Cachar District. According to a senior Police official, an encounter
between the Police and 15 KNF cadres began when the former reached
the village at night following a tip-off. A cache of arms, including
an AK-47 series rifle with 20 rounds of live cartridges, one SLR
gun with 30 rounds of ammunition and a grenade, were recovered
from the encounter site.
The ULFA has set up bases in China and other foreign
countries with the help of money extorted in the State, two senior
ULFA leaders, Chitrabon Hazarika and Sashadhar Choudhury, have
reportedly told the Police during interrogation. The ULFA 'foreign
secretary' Sasha Choudhury and 'finance secretary' Chitraban Hazarika,
now in Police remand since November 6, 2009, told interrogators
that apart from Bangladesh they have bases in China and other
foreign countries. "Millions of rupees have been extorted from
Assam and transferred to ULFA leaders in Bangladesh, China and
other countries where they have established hideouts," the Special
Operations Unit of Assam Police quoted the two leaders as confessing.
Sashadhar Choudhury and Chitrabon Hazarika also confessed that
their 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah is not only procuring
arms from Chinese manufacturers but also selling them to militant
outfits such as NDFB, NLFT, ATTF and CPI-Maoist.
November 20
Two militants belonging to the Ranjan Daimary
faction of NDFB, identified as Shankar Mushahary (23) and Sanjoy
Basumatary (24), were shot dead by the SFs at Majabasti in Chirang
District.
SFs shot dead a ULFA militant, a hitman of the
outfit who led the Golaghat train attack, at Padumguri under Jalukbari
Police station in Guwahati city. A 7.65mm bore pistol and three
rounds of ammunition were recovered from the incident site.
November 22
Suspected ULFA militants triggered two powerful
bomb blasts barely 50 meters from the Sadar Police Station in
Nalbari town, killing seven people and injuring 54 others at around
10 AM. The IEDs, planted on two bicycles, were kept in front of
a tea stall and a saloon which were blown up. The deceased were
identified as Paban Thakur, the owner of a nearby saloon, Sikandar
Thakur, an employee of the saloon, Dipu Das, a driver, Ganesh
Das, a businessman, Keshab Das, an employee of an insurance company
and Mahabat Ali, a gaonburah (village head man) of Nalbari town.
The Superintendent of Police of Nalbari District, Jitmal Doley,
said that the ULFA militants are suspected to be behind the blasts.
The ULFA is responsible for the Nalbari blasts,
said Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma in a press meet organised
at Silchar Medical College. The outfit, however, denied its involvement
in the blasts. "ULFA is in no way involved in the bomb blasts
and it is just a conspiracy by a certain section to derail the
talks process," Hira Sarania, 'commander' of the '709th Battalion'
of the ULFA, told a news channel. "The allegation is totally motivated
and has been made to discredit the organisation. There have been
several occasions in the past too when such misinformation had
been made against us," Sarania added.
The Army personnel arrested three militants of
a Kuki outfit at Meghnathal Village, nearly 55 kilometres from
Silchar in Cachar District, and recovered a cache of arms and
ammunitions. The recovered arms and ammunitions included nine
SLRs, one AK-56, six LMGs, one two-inch mortar, 16 grenades and
502 pieces of cartridges. The Army sources added that these weapons
were part of the arms looted by Kuki militants from Chekarcham
border outpost of the 15th Indian Reserve Battalion on the Assam-Manipur
border in Cachar District in the night of November 14, 2009. The
arrested militants confessed that they belonged to a newly raised
Kuki outfit called as United Tribal Revolutionary Army, active
in Manipur.
The arms smuggler Joseph Mizo alias Vanlalchhana,
who was arrested by the NIA during the course of its investigation
into the diversion of public money to insurgent activities, had
reportedly supplied at least ten consignments of sophisticated
arms and ammunition to the BW. The sophisticated weapons included
rifles of the latest N-16 series. Joseph Mizo in return had received
a payment of INR ten million at least on three occasions. These
revelations were made by the NIA in the chargesheet which it had
submitted on November 17, 2009. The chargesheet also mentioned
that Joseph, a resident of Aizawl in the State of Mizoram, was
a frequent visitor to places like Thailand and Singapore, where
he had several rounds of meeting with Niranjan Hojai and Jewel
Garlosa.
November 23
A cadre of the pro-talks faction
of the NDFB, identified as Doren Daimary alias Mwkthanj
(30), was shot dead by unidentified militants at Jolaishree Alokjhar
under Kachugaon Police Station in Kokrajhar District around 10.30
PM (IST). The victim stayed in the outfit’s designated camp in
Serfanguri and was visiting the area, 30km from the camp, along
with a companion when he was shot dead by the unidentified militants.
The pro-talks NDFB accused the BLT for the incident and warned
of retaliation if their cadres are targeted like this.
Binoy Sharma (20), nephew of the
owner of a tea garden, Roshanlal Sharma, at Phillobari under Pengeree
Police Station in Tinsukia District, was abducted by unidentified
militants from his Phillobari residence.
Unidentified militants abducted
a civilian, Talak Bahadur, from Bhurkhola under Basugaon Police
Station limits in the Chirang District.
Army personnel recovered an IED
weighing about 10-12 kilograms from Sotai Da-Mile under Rangapara
Police Station in the Sonitpur District.
The ‘chairman’ of the ULFA, Arabinda
Rajkhowa, condemned the blasts in Nalbari town on November 22
and said that the blasts were aimed at derailing the peace process.
In a statement sent to the media through e-mail, the ULFA ‘chairman’
said that the blasts were triggered off by the enemies of the
indigenous people of Assam. He called upon all concerned, including
the militant outfits, to desist from killing innocent people and
asked the authorities to pay adequate compensation to the families
of those killed.
November 24
SFs recovered a powerful IED near
the railway tracks at Khoirabari Railway Station under Khoirabari
Police Station in the Udalguri District in the night.
The 12-hour BTC region bandh
(general shutdown) called by the pro-talks faction of the NDFB
in protest against the killing of its cadre, Doren Daimary, passed
off peacefully in Kokrajhar District.
Thousands of people came out on
the streets against terrorism, forming a human chain, under the
aegis of the Nalbari District unit of AJYCP at the site of twin
bomb blasts of November 22. Representatives from different organisations,
students, employees, labourers and rickshaw pullers together raised
their voices against the heinous acts.
Sentinel quoting intelligence
sources said a group of the ULFA militants comprising 10 cadres,
including a woman cadre, has entered Assam through the Assam-Nagaland
border and sheltering in its adjoining areas to carry out subversive
activities in the District. Sources also said the proscribed group
has been restructuring itself in five upper Assam Districts since
last couple of months. Sources said the militant group has been
carrying out a new membership drive in upper Assam Districts particularly
in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and Sivasagar.
The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram
stated in Parliament that the Government was not going to relent
in its operations against the ULFA. He said, "Owing to the counter-insurgency
operations, ULFA has come under tremendous pressure. Its leadership
is in disarray. Key ULFA leaders are in prison. Recently, two
ULFA leaders surrendered to the Indian SFs. Three ULFA leaders
are believed to be abroad and there are reports of serious differences
among them. Against this background, it is our assessment that
the recent incidents manifest the desperation of the banned ULFA.
The State Government and the SFs are determined to intensify the
counter-insurgency operations against ULFA and Ranjan Daimary
faction of NDFB."
November 25
One top ranking ULFA militant,
identified as Mohan Roy alias Mama alias Sukumar
Kurmi, was shot dead in an encounter with the SFs at No. 2 area
of Bishnupur in Chirang District around 10.30 AM. Police sources
confirmed that the slain ULFA militant was involved in the recent
blasts at Nalbari. He was the ‘second-in-command of the 709th
battalion’ of the ULFA.
The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa
said the Union Home Minister’s statement a day earlier was a reflection
of the Government’s "colonial" mindset. He said, "Our stand is
clear. We will not fall at India’s feet just for the sake of talks."
"The minister’s comments only confirm the fact that India does
not have the courage to sit across the table on the issue of sovereignty,"
Rajkhowa said, adding that the outfit was keen on a political
settlement with Delhi but not at the cost of its own pride and
dignity.
The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram
told a delegation of the People’s Committee for Peace Initiatives
in Assam (PCPIA) that the Government is ready for talks with the
ULFA provided the outfit abjures violence. Chidambaram also told
the delegation that the PCPIA should try to persuade the ULFA
to come for talks with the Government.
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. 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.
An unidentified militant shot
dead Nirmal Basumatary (15), a Class IX school student, at No.
1 Latamari area under Kachugaon Police Station in Kokrajhar District
at about 7.30 PM.
Mina Gogoi alias Akoni
Gogoi alias Binita Bora, a woman ‘seargent’ of the 28th
battalion of ULFA, was arrested while four of her associates managed
to escape in a joint operation by SFs at Lahdoigarh in Namtola
under Sonari Police Station in Sivasagar District near Assam-Nagaland
border. She is the wife of Ramen Dadhumiya, ‘area commander’ of
the 28th battalion. She later confessed that the outfit had planned
to carry out blasts in the Charaideo subdivision of Sivasagar
District. A five kilogrammes of IED, a pistol, some photographs
and a register containing details of funds collected by the outfit
in Charaideo subdivision were recovered from her.
Police launched a massive search
operation to recover five kilograms of RDX which was kept in the
house of Krishna Rajbongshi at Goroimari Panigaon in Nalbari District,
who had allegedly planted one of the bicycle bombs in Nalbari
on November 22. Krishna, who was arrested in the night of November
25, also confessed before Police that there were three more bicycles
stuffed with explosives and ready to be detonated. A Police Officer
said Krishna did not know about the location of the cycles. Meanwhile,
a college lecturer Narayan Thakuria and ULFA linkman Kumud Thakuria
were also arrested for their suspected involvement in the twin
blasts. "We only found the pit but the explosives which were
in it were missing. Probably ULFA removed the RDX after they heard
of Krishna’s arrest," the Police Officer said. "Five
kilogrammes of RDX can have a devastating impact depending on
where and how the explosives are placed," he said.
The BW challenged the ban imposed
on it by the Union Government before a specially designated UAP
Tribunal. Replying to a showcause notice issued by the Unlawful
Activities Prevention Tribunal, the ‘chairman’ of the BW, Jewel
Gorlosa, through his counsels, pleaded before the tribunal not
to confirm the ban imposed on the outfit under the Unlawful Activities
Prevention Act, 1967. Gorlosa contended that the outfit couldn’t
be declared a banned organisation since it had returned to the
mainstream with the ceremonial surrender of its cadres on October
2, 2009. Advocates Bijon Mahajan, Arshad Choudhury and Meena Kharkongor
appeared on behalf of Gorlosa before the UAP tribunal headed by
Justice Kailash Gambhir, a Delhi High Court judge, in Shillong.
In his written reply, challenging the legality of the ban, Gorlosa
stated that the outfit’s cadres were staying in designated camps,
abiding by the ground rules of the ceasefire. The Union Home Ministry
had issued a notification declaring the BW an unlawful association
on July 9, 2009. The tribunal has fixed December 3 and 4 as the
next dates for hearing in New Delhi.
The ULFA’s central committee leader
Mithinga Daimary, currently lodged in the Guwahati Jail, said
that the outfit was not responsible for the recent bomb blasts
at Nalbari, adding that peace talks between the banned outfit
and the Union Government was the only way to find a political
solution to the conflict.
One ULFA cadre was arrested by
Police in the evening from a Tezpur-bound passenger bus near Tezpur
Mission Chariali in Sonitpur District. Police sources said he
was later identified as Rupam Boro alias Ujjal Bora (22)
of Debendranagar area under Barghat Police Outpost in Tezpur.
During interrogation, Rupam confessed that he joined the outfit
in 2006 and was a cadre of the 27th Battalion of the
outfit.
November 27
SFs arrested three militants of
the KCP-MC of Manipur from a rented house at Mirza area in Kamrup
District. The militants were identified as "organisation
and finance secretary" Amom Mema Devi alias Madhuri,
(45), self-styled ‘sergeant major’ Nanao Singh (26) and cadre
L. Jiten Singh (21). Jiten Singh is the brother of KCP-MC’s ‘general
secretary’ Cheren Lakpa. He and Mema Devi hail from Thoubal District
while Nanao Singh is from Imphal West. Mema Devi was in charge
of recruiting cadres, arranging money for the outfit and medical
treatment for cadres in hospitals. Nanao Singh is one of the most
wanted cadres of the outfit and was involved in hurling grenades
at chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh’s house in October 2008, in
planting the car bomb found inside Raj Bhavan in Imphal in September
2009 and in the killing of an assistant engineer of the Manipur
PWD in 2008. The sources said Mema Devi has been living in the
rented house for the past six months while the cadres kept coming
and going.
SFs neutralised a bunker near
a bamboo grove in the backyard of Harimal Barman, a resident of
Angardhowa Bilpara village in Baganpara area under Borbori Police
Station in Baksa District that was frequently used by ULFA militants
to draw up plans. The bunker, eight feet deep and six feet wide,
accommodates more than five persons. "At least three militants
took shelter inside the bunker last night," the Superintendent
of Police, Nalbari, Jitmal Doley, said.
The KLNLF declared a unilateral
cease-fire for a period of three months beginning December 1,
2009. R. Dera, the ‘publicity secretary’ of the outfit, said that
"during this period we expect co-operation from the Government,
NGOs, civil societies and different outfits to fulfil the long-standing
demand of the people of Karbi Anglong".
The ULFA ‘leaders’ Sasha Choudhury
and Chitraban Hazarika, who were produced before the Court of
Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup for the third time since their
arrest, were further remanded to another 10 days’ of Police custody.
Though the Assam Police’s SOU sought 18 days Police custody of
both the ULFA ‘leaders’ in connection with the January 1, 2009
blasts under Paltan Bazar Police Station and Bhangagarh Police
Station, the court, however, limited the custody to another 10
days, advocate Bijon Mahajan informed.
November 29
The SFs shot dead an unidentified
militant of the 3rd battalion of the Ranjan Daimary
faction of the NDFB during an encounter at Sessapani village near
Bhairabkunda in Udalguri District on the India-Bhutan border in
the evening. One 9 mm pistol, six rounds of live ammunition and
one China-made grenade were recovered from the possession of the
slain militant.
An encounter between RPF and Ranjan
Daimary faction of NDFB took place in Mazbat locality. However,
there was no report of any casualty, Police said.
One person, identified as Aktar
Ali, was abducted from his house in Joldoba village under Kajigaon
Police Station of Kokrajhar District. According to reports, a
group of unidentified militants with sophisticated weapons wearing
masks came on foot and caught Aktar Ali, a truck driver and abducted
him from his house. Aktar and his wife, when shouted for help,
the militants resorted to three rounds of blank fire.
The local people of Santipur in
Chirang District rescued one abducted person, Talak Bahadur (65),
from Koraibari near Santipur in the afternoon. Unidentified militants
had abducted Bahadur on November 22, 2009 from Bhurkhola near
Santipur.
Police recovered nearly 25 kilograms
of ammonium nitrate, 100 detonators, 25 bundles of codex wire
and 170 kilograms ganja (marijuana) from Fatasil Ambari
in Guwahati City District and arrested one drug peddler, Gopal
Singh (31) and an owner of a workshop, Amar Roy (45) in this connection.
SFs arrested three NDFB militants
near Saint Paul School of Rangapara under Rangapara Police Station
in Sonitpur District. The three were identified as Debendra Mochahary,
Saoin Khaklary and Misum Mochahary. They were involved in the
Bhalukpong blast on July 13, 2009 in which one Army colonel and
his driver was killed and also in the killing of four Hindi-speaking
people of Rangapara on June 30, 2009.
The death toll of the Nalbari
bomb blast of November 26, 2009 has increased to eight with one
Mintu Barman, who was wounded in the blast, succumbing to his
injuries.
Suspected ULFA militants threatened
a senior journalist of a local satellite news channel in Guwahati,
in what was seen as a ‘reaction’ to a talk show telecast in the
channel on the insurgency issue in the State. Nitumoni Saikia,
executive editor of News Live, was threatened by two armed
militants who came on a motorcycle at Tiniali Zoo in the Guwahati
city and cautioned him to avoid airing comments on the ULFA. The
incident occurred minutes after a talk show, hosted by Sakia,
was aired projecting the ULFA in poor light.
December 1
One Himanshu Das,
site in-charge of Uditya Construction, was abducted by unidentified
militants numbering about 12 from Lakhicherra stone quarry under
Gumrah Police Station in Katigorah in Hailakandi District in the
afternoon. Uditya Construction is owned by Gautam Gupta who is
private secretary of State Excise Minister Gautam Roy. Sources
said the abductors demanded INR ten millions for the safe release
of Das.
Bhim Kanta Buragohain
alias Mama, the ULFA idealogue who was arrested during
the Bhutan operation, was produced at Tezpur court in Sonitpur
District. Buragohain told reporters that he believed that talks
with the Indian Government could be held if the arrested leaders
of the outfit are unconditionally released.
The Union Home Minister
P Chidambaram clarified that the Union Government is yet to receive
any offer from ULFA to come for talks even as the Union Government
seems to have softened its stand on the presence of the elusive
commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah at the talks. When asked whether
the Government of India was willing to sit for negotiations minus
Paresh Baruah, he said, "Good, if they come for talks."
However, he also reiterated the same preconditions of abjuring
violence, surrendering weapons and dropping the demand for sovereignty
before coming for dialogue. "However, we have not received
any offer so far," he added.
The Peace talks
with militant groups like BW, UPDS and the pro-talk faction of
the NDFB are likely to be expedited as the Union Government’s
interlocutor for the peace talks, P.C. Haldar has started the
process and the Union Government is also reportedly keen on early
solution of the problems. Official sources said that Haldar, a
former Director of the IB, arrived in Guwahati to hold preliminary
talks with the militant outfits under cease-fire agreement with
the Government. Sources said that during the visit, Haldar would
stay in the State for at least four to five days and he would
be holding preliminary talks with the leaders of the outfits.
Sources said that Haldar would be visiting Haflong in North Cachar
Hills District for talks with the leaders of the BW followed by
a visit to Diphu in Karbi Anglong District for talks with the
UPDS leadership. He will also hold talks with the leaders of the
pro-talk group leaders of the NDFB. However, sources said that
the present visit of the former IB chief is only to hold preliminary
talks with the outfits to know their psychology and demands.
December 2
A grenade exploded
near a cinema hall at Abhayapuri area of District headquarters
of Bongaigaon District in the wee hours. However, there was no
casualty or injury, Police sources said.
The Army released
photographs of ULFA two cadres, who had carried out the November
22 Nalbari twin blasts claiming nine lives. Both the cadres, Mohan
alias Mahesh Rajbongshi and Hemanto Rajbongshi, belonged to the
‘709th battalion’ of the ULFA, a press statement issued by Army
said.
A high alert has
been sounded in Upper Assam Districts following the arrest of
Arabinda Rajkhowa. Police have tightened the security in the sensitive
areas. A meeting among the Security officials held in Jorhat to
review the security scenario and some new strategies were adopted
to prevent any kind of militant activities in the area.
The Union Home Minister
P. Chidambaram said in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament)
that he would respond within 72 hours if the ULFA decided to hold
talks with the Government, reports Sentinel. He was responding
to a discussion on the internal security situation in the country.
He further said, "I hope that the ULFA leaders will release
a political statement on peace talks with the Union Government
very soon."
The detained ULFA
‘leader’ Mithinga Daimary said that Arabinda Rajkhowa alone cannot
sit for talks outside the ambit of the outfit’s constitution.
He termed Bangladesh’s recent offensive towards the ULFA militants
as a ‘betrayal.’
December 3
Unidentified militants
shot dead one Nazrul Ali, the driver of pro-talks ULFA ‘leader’
Russel Maradona, at Citnipara in Nalbari District.
Two cadres of Ranjan
Daimary faction of the NDFB, identified as Sanjay Mochahari and
Tularam Mochahary, were arrested by the Army personnel at Dolabari
area from a Tezpur-bound passenger bus in Sonitpur District. One
9-mm pistol was recovered from the possession of the arrested
militants.
The formation of
a new militant outfit, UDLT, in south Hailakandi bordering Mizoram
has come to light. The Police sources said the new outfit is being
led by Atabur, a dacoit and accomplice of the Reang militant outfit
UDLA. However, the relation between the Reang and the Muslims
had soured following the UDLA kidnapping a number of Muslims from
south Hailakandi. But Police sources hinted that Atabur had formed
the new outfit vowing to protect the Muslims from Reang militants.
The sources added that a fierce gun battle took place between
the UDLT and Reang militants recently, which left at least three
people injured. Even after the arrest of UDLA chief Dhanyaram
Reang by Mizoram Police and the surrender of ULFBV chief Panchuram
Reang before the Government, the terror scenario in south Hailakandi
area has not changed.
December 4
Two unidentified
NDFB cadres were shot dead in an encounter with the Security Forces
at Kaizamati Gormara in Udalguri District at 5am in the morning.
A 9mm pistol, a US-made carbine and ammunition were recovered
from the possession of the slain militants.
Sentinel quoting
an unnamed top Government official reports that the elusive ‘commander-in-chief’
of ULFA Paresh Baruah is hiding in Kachin area of Myanmar, bordering
China, and under the full grip of anti-India forces like ISI of
Pakistan. Baruah, who has been against holding any peace dialogue
with the Government, has fled from his hideout in Bangladesh some
time ago. "He is now in Kachin area of Myanmar," the official
said. Several militant outfits in the Northeast have training
camps and bases in Kachin, which borders China’s Yunnan province,
which Baruah visits regularly.
December 5
Police recovered
two hand grenades at an abandoned area near the Udalguri railway
station in Udalguri District.
Two ULFA militants,
identified as Angshuman Bora alias Sabin Buragohain, ‘self-styled
sergeant major’ of the ‘28th battalion’ and Rinku Baruah alias
Bitupan Baruah, ‘lance corporal’ of the same battalion, surrendered
before the Army personnel at Thakurbari Army Camp in Sonitpur
District.
December 6
The Union Government
said it is ready to hold peace talks with ULFA. The Government,
however, ruled out any discussion on the basis of a demand voiced
by a section of the banned militant outfit for "sovereignty"
of Assam. Sources said the ULFA was speaking in different voices
on the prospect of talks with the Centre. There is no question
of any discussion on the basis of "sovereignty" for
Assam, the sources said. Meanwhile, Paresh Baruah, ‘commander-in-chief’
of ULFA, on December 5 said that there was no confusion in the
minds of the ULFA cadres who want "sovereignty" for
Assam to be discussed in any dialogue, while denying a split in
the outfit.
The Assam Chief
Minister Tarun Gogoi asked all militant groups of the State, including
the ULFA, to come forward for peace talks with the Government.
December 8
Three suspected Naga militants
are shot dead by Security Forces (SFs) during an encounter at
Boro Haflong village under Haflong Police Station in North Cachar
Hills District.
A NDFB cadre is shot dead by SFs
during an encounter at Orangpara under Barugaon Police Station
in Chirang District.
The former BLT cadres assault
one youth, Moinul Ali (24), at Kajalgaon. Subsequently, local
people in retaliation set ablaze office of the former BLT cadres.
Two former BLT cadres were also wounded in the attack.
Two Myanmar-trained ULFA cadres
surrender before Lakhimpur District authorities. They are identified
as Debashish Bhuyan alias Bipul and Bubul Chowdung. They
deposit a 9-mm pistol and .30 pistol at the time of surrender.
December 9
The arrested ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda
Rajkhowa and ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Baruah completely
rule out any possibility of negotiation with the Government without
outfit’s ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah before the Police
and the Government officials during interrogation. "Sovereignty
or no sovereignty, peace talks would reap benefits only when the
C-in-C comes forward for talks," Rajkhowa is said to have
told the interrogators.
Assam Legislative Assembly adopts
a resolution not to yield an inch of the State’s constitutional
boundary to the Nagalim (Greater Nagaland) demanded by
the NSCN-IM.
Militant outfits in the Northeast—
the Manipur People’s Liberation Front, National Liberation Front
of Tripura (NLFT), Tripura People’s Democratic Front, and anti-talk
faction of the NDFB —said the people of the region engaged in
"liberation struggle" felt "betrayed" by Bangladesh’s
handing over of ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa and other leaders
to India.
The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram
said in Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) that talks with
the insurgent groups in the Northeast could be held only if they
laid down arms. Chidambaram said, "Our stand is clear. Lay
down arms, give up demands for sovereignty and talks can be held...
My appeal is common to all insurgent groups (in the northeast).
Give up demands for sovereignty and lay down your arms. This will
open the way for talks." Reminding the House that he had
last week hoped that the ULFA would make a political statement
offering talks with the Government, the Home Minister said, "No,
such offer has not come. If they make an offer, we will talk."
He added, "If there is an offer for talks, these will be
conducted with due dignity." When asked whether the ULFA
‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa had been arrested or had surrendered,
the Minister said, "The BSF (Border Security Force) apprehended
three people on the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border. A team from the
Assam Police took custody of the three persons after their identities
were established since they are involved in cases in Assam."
Asked whether any leaders of the NDFB had been arrested and whether
the Government would hold talks with the group demanding a separate
Bodoland, Chidambaram said, "There are talks with the pro-talk
faction through an interlocutor."
December 10
A 12-year-old boy is killed and
36 persons injured when militants belonging to anti-talk faction
of the NDFB triggers two bomb blasts in Sonitpur District. While
one explosion is triggered at Garubandha weekly market under Missamari
Police Station leaving one dead and 34 injured, another explosion
at Rakshasmari under Dhekiajuli Police Station leaves two injured.
The arrested ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda
Rajkhowa and ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Barua said during
interrogation that family members of the outfit’ s ‘commander-in-chief’
Paresh Barua are still holed up in Bangladesh along with the family
members of Anup Chetia, another jailed ULFA leader.
Surrendered ULFA cadres kill six
persons at Singirmari in Nagaon District. Subsequently, several
hundred women along with the villagers of Rajagaon launch a search
operation to locate the culprits on the next day.
December 11
The ULFA asks the Union Government
for a plebiscite in Assam. "Talks, if any, have to be on the issue
of Assam's independence or sovereignty. If the government cannot
hold talks on the issue of sovereignty or independence, let there
be a plebiscite on the issue," ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh
Baruah said in an emailed statement to the local media in Guwahati.
The United Democratic People’s
Front (UDPF), an Udalguri-based newly formed group, calls a 36-hour
general shutdown, demanding a separate State for the Bodos and
other indigenous tribals, as Assam Government rejected such ideas
and appealed to all to "live together" in the State, according
to Telegraph. The UDPF has called the shutdown from 5 am on December
14.
December 13
The ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’
Paresh Barua apologises to the people of Assam for the bomb blast
at Dhemaji on August 15, 2004, killing 17 persons, including 16
school children. Barua, however, blames some of the former cadres
of the outfit for the blast and says they had misled the top ULFA
leadership by saying it was done by the Government machinery to
defame ULFA in the eyes of the people of Assam.
The former Chief Minister Prafulla
Kumar Mahanta accuses Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi of "telling
lies" over the "secret killings" issue. Gogoi,
according to him, had learnt to "tell lies", as none
of the commissions of inquiries constituted to probe the "secret
killings" were able to find the "non-existent proof".
"Will the chief minister pursue the widely published statement
made by Ulfa finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika that his ministers
and officials had paid to Ulfa so that the truth is placed before
the people of the state? The ministers are said to have paid Ulfa
for helping the ruling Congress on various occasions," he
adds.
December 14
Four cadres of the NDFB and two
cadres belonging to the KLNLF are arrested by the Police at Jakhalabandha
in Nagaon District. One AK-56, an AK-47, and a .303 rifle are
recovered from their possession.
The Special Operation Unit of
Assam Police submits the case diary pertaining to the January
1 bomb blast in Bhangagarh and Paltan Bazar to the Court of the
Chief Judicial Magistrate of Kamrup District, according to Assam
Tribune. The ULFA ‘foreign secretary’ Sasha Choudhury and ‘finance
secretary’ Chitraban Hazarika are accused in the blasts.
The ULFA’s pro-talk faction led
by Mrinal Hazarika reacted sharply to the December 13 public apology
made by ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah for the Dhemaji
bomb blast on August 15, 2004 and termed the apology a ‘drama’.
The KLNLF states that it would
not sacrifice even one inch of Karbi land for the proposed Dimaraji
State, while more than 50 Dimasa organizations have called for
several protest programmes in demand for Dimaraji State comprising
areas of North Cachar Hills, Karbi Anglong, Cachar and Nagaon
Districts. The KLNLF ‘publicity secretary’ Rejak Dera said, "The
Government will ultimately decide as to whether the proposed Dimaraji
State will be actually formed. But we will not allow even an inch
of Karbi land to be given for the proposed State. Such an action
will not be tolerated at any cost." Extending full support
to the demand for an autonomous State under Article 244 (A) of
Indian Constitution by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KACC),
the ruling Congress and all political parties of Karbi Anglong,
Dera said, "We have been fighting for an autonomous State
for a long time now. If the Government can create a separate State
for Telangana, why not Karbi Anglong?" On ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’
Paresh Baruah’s demand for a referendum on the issue of sovereignty,
Dera said, "The public has to decide on that."
December 16
Security Forces recover an improvised
explosive device (IED) weighing three kilograms from under a bridge
at Gorubasa in Chirang District. The explosive is subsequently
defused.
A MULTA cadre, Kashim Ali (45),
is arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel along
India-Bangladesh border. One pistol and five live ammunitions
were recovered from his possession. He belongs to Majerchar village
in Dhubri District.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi
rules out the possibility of halting army operations targeting
the ULFA outfit.
The Centre’s peace interlocutor
P.C. Haldar holds a meeting with the pro-talks faction of the
NDFB in New Delhi. The Joint Secretary (Northeast) of the Union
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Naveen Verma, and other senior
official attend the meeting. The six-member NDFB delegation led
by its ‘general secretary’ Gobinda Basumatary demands for a separate
State.
A cadre belonging to Ranjan Daimari
faction of the NDFB is shot dead by Security Forces at Rangijhora-Daisungjhora
under Bijni Police Station of Chirang District. The slain militant
is identified as Binod Narzary (30).
December 17
A surrendered ULFA cadre, Ratul
Pathak, is shot at and wounded by unidentified militants at Gobardhana
Chariali in Barpeta District.
A cadre belonging to the Ranjan
Daimary faction of the NDFB, identified as Ratan Daimary (25),
is arrested by the Guwahati City Police from Odalbakra area. A
pistol along with three rounds of ammunition is recovered from
his possession.
The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate
in Guwahati, Robin Phukan, remands ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa,
‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Barua and Rajkhowa’s bodyguard
Raja Bora, to nine days of Police custody in connection with three
blast-related cases registered at Paltan Bazar, Bharalumukh and
Bhangagarh Police Stations.
The BW ‘chief’ Jewel Gorlosa is
remanded to the Police custody by a court in Nagaon.
The arrested leaders of the ULFA
confess that the outfit received "benefits" from political
parties mostly in forms of money, particularly during elections.
The highly placed security sources
said that the ULFA leaders, including the ‘chairman’, did not
divulge the name of any political leader who paid money to the
outfit. Sources mentioned that the ULFA was involved in selling
arms and ammunition to different militant groups of the region,
including ATTF, NLFT, KLNLF, etc. The outfit, over the years,
managed to establish very good contacts with the clandestine arms
dealers of South East Asian countries and also received Programmable
Time Device (PTD) switches from Pakistan. The outfit still has
a good stock of PTD switches and the potential to trigger off
explosions, sources said. However, seizures of a large number
of weapons of the ULFA in 2004 and 2007 in Bangladesh severely
affected the outfit, sources added.
Bhutan said it has no information
about ULFA running any camp in its territory but would take "positive
steps" only if India communicated to it on this issue.
December 19
Two NDFB militants are shot dead
by SFs during an encounter in Sonitpur District along the Assam-Arunachal
Pradesh border. Two foreign-made pistols, a grenade, detonators
and a walkie-talkie set are recovered from their possession. Police
claimed that the two militants were involved in the November 10
grenade blast at Missamari market near an Army cantonment, in
which a child was killed while several others were injured.
A NDFB militant is shot dead by
the SFs at Kamengbari area in the Chirang District. Subsequently,
a pistol is found from the encounter site.
Police said that surrendered ULFA
cadres were involved in the December 18 robbery at a branch of
the United Bank of India at Dirok in Margherita of Tinsukia District.
"We have identified a few members of the gang. At least three
of them are surrendered ULFA militants," a senior Police official
involved in the investigations said. He, however, did not name
them, saying the time was "not right" yet.
December 20
A surrendered NDFB cadre, Dhananjay
Boro, is arrested by the Police from Jatiya area in Guwahati in
connection with the killing of a person, Gurbinder Singh Sodhi,
on October 10, 2007.
December 21
Assam Government decides to carry
on counter-insurgency operations in the State. The decision is
taken at a Unified Command meeting chaired by the State Chief
Secretary Prafulla Sarma and attended by top Government, Army
and intelligence officials. The meeting welcomed the unilateral
cease-fire declared by the KLNLF and recommended to the State
Government to hold discussions with the outfit, official sources
said.
December 22
Police exchange fire with the
NDFB cadres who came to the house of a trader at Borgang in Sonitpur
District to demand money.
The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram,
turning down the demand for sovereignty, asks the ULFA and UNLF
to give up violence and hold talks. He said that the Union Government
was willing to look at 'new governing structures' to take care
of the development agenda of the Northeast. "A couple of groups
like the ULFA and the UNLF are still carrying out violent activities.
To them we say, give up the demand for sovereignty. Give up violence
and we can talk of anything," the Union Minister said at the valedictory
session of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) leadership
summit in Kolkata. Stating that the Constitution was resilient
and innovative, and accommodated the concerns of the people of
smaller states, he said, "If new innovations for governing structures
are required, we are willing to look at it. The Constitution has
provided for hill development councils, semi-autonomy, and some
schedules to address the concerns of the people of the smaller
states. We can have more schedules as long as it takes care of
the development agenda."
December 23
The ULFA ‘foreign secretary’ Sashadhar
Choudhury and ‘finance secretary’ Chitraban Hazarika are reproduced
before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Kamrup and
were sent to another 14 days of judicial custody in connection
with the Bharalumukh Police Station case.
An unidentified NDFB cadre is
shot dead by a combined force of the Police and Army during an
encounter at Rampur village under Goreswar Police Station in Baksa
District. The Police recover a Chinese-made grenade, a 7.62-mm
pistol and eight live bullets of the pistol from the encounter
site.
December 24
Two suspected militants belonging
to anti-talk faction of the NDFB are shot dead by the SFs at Mainawsree
area under Rangapara Police Station in Sonitpur District along
the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
December 25
The Army recover two AK-56 rifles
from an abandoned house at Tisson village in Karbi Anglong District.
The rifles belonged to the KLNLF militants.
Telegraph reports that
Police have launched a special operation in Assam’s northern Districts,
particularly Udalguri and Sonitpur, to target the "headhunters"
of the NDFB’s anti-talks faction who have been recruiting youths
from these areas. "We have specific information about some of
the middle-ranking cadres of the outfit being on a recruitment
drive and operations are on to neutralise them," a Police official
said. The official said most of the NDFB militants killed recently
could not be identified immediately, which indicated that they
were new recruits. He claimed that the Ranjan Daimary-led anti-talks
faction of the NDFB had received a severe jolt in the last few
months with SFs going all out against it. He said, "The success
in our operations in the last few months against the NDFB was
a big blow for the outfit. It has lost several armed wing cadres
who were capable of carrying out major attacks." The NDFB has
lost more than 40 cadres in encounters in the two northern Districts
and the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) since June
2009. The official said the outfit had started a recruitment drive
recently to recover lost ground. "At least 30 youths have joined
the NDFB in the past month. They are promised money which rarely
comes, but it is too late by that time," he said. "Recruitment
is done in a co-ordinated manner. A few cadres are entrusted with
this responsibility and assigned areas where each would work.
We can deal a blow to the outfit if we can get these headhunters,"
he added. The official said most of the fresh recruits from Sonitpur
belonged to Bodo families who had migrated from the BTAD and settled
in reserve forest areas in the past decade. "It is very difficult
to identify these families since they have encroached upon reserve
forest lands and have no permanent addresses," he added.
December 26
The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa
and ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Barua are sent to judicial
custody after 21 days in Police custody. The remand order is given
by the Chief Judicial Magistrate Robin Phukan, who heard the case
at a camp court inside the Central Jail in Guwahati.
A cadre belonging to ‘709th battalion’
of the ULFA, identified as Dharmendra Kalita, is arrested by a
joint team of the Police and CRPF near the Guwahati refinery along
with RDX and ball bearings, which are used as splinters in bombs.
Kalita belonged to Nalbari District of lower Assam. "He was
walking along the railway tracks near the Sector 3 area of the
refinery complex. When he was asked to stop, he tried to flee
but was captured," a Police Officer said. Sources said Kalita
had revealed during interrogation that several ULFA cadres from
the lower Assam Districts had entered the State capital recently
to carry out the strikes. "We, too, had some unsubstantiated
inputs about Ulfa plans to carry out strikes at vital installations
in the state, especially in the capital city, but Kalita has now
corroborated it. We have now taken a re-look and tightened security
around these areas," the Police Officer said. He said Kalita
was a bomb expert and knows how to make an IED. "He had all
the ingredients required to prepare the IED with him. We are expecting
to get more specific information from him about the other cadres
who have entered the city," he said. The Police said ULFA
cadres in lower Assam were still active and preparing to carry
out strikes. "Several active cadres of the outfit from lower
Assam are taking shelter on the outskirts of the city and are
looking for opportunities to enter the city to strike," another
Police Officer said. Police sources recently revealed that they
have information about ULFA cadres from lower Assam Districts
setting up a base again inside Bhutanese territory near Barpathar
village in Assam’s Chirang District. Sources added that two top
leaders of the 709th ‘battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as self-styled
‘second lieutenant’ Baba Rabha and ‘sergeant major’ Kushal Das,
are manning the camp that has over 100 cadres, most of them new
recruits.
December 27
A suspected ULFA linkman, Diganta
Bora, is arrested by the Police from Murpholoni in Golaghat District.
Incriminating documents are recovered from his possession.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA) has given its approval for cease-fire with the KLNLF and
also assured to consider the outfit’s demand for a separate Karbi
State. The KLNLF recently announced unilateral cease-fire for
three months, from December 1, 2009 till March 1, 2010. Two top
KLNLF leaders, through mediators, had held several rounds of talks
with Additional Director General of Assam Police (Special Branch)
Khagen Sarma, representative of the State Government, in this
regard. They were, however, not ready to lay down arms until the
Government assured a political solution to the Karbi issue. The
Assam Government referred the matter to the Centre for approval.
With the Centre clearing the decks for truce with the outfit,
the KLNLF cadres would come over ground by formally surrendering
arms at Diphu in Karbi Anglong District in January 2010.
The Director General of Assam
Police G. M. Srivastava said that though the ULFA is not yet finished,
it will not be the same organization after the arrests of its
senior leaders. He pointed out that though the incidents of violence
are the visible impacts of a militant group, no organization can
run only through acts of violence. "There are several other
aspects of running a militant outfit effectively including maintaining
international contacts and managing other aspects of the outfit
and it will not be possible for Paresh Baruah alone to do that.
The arrested top leaders of the outfit were key members of the
ULFA and it will be difficult for the ULFA to run the outfit without
them. For example, some of the arrested leaders were responsible
for maintaining international contacts and without them the outfit
will lose such contacts," he added. Srivastava further said
that if majority of the ULFA leaders finally decide to come forward
for talks, the people of Assam would make Paresh Baruah redundant.
A bomb explodes at a school in
Bordoloni village under Mondia Police Station in the Barpeta District
causing damage to the vacant building.
December 28
An 82 year old person, Mahendra
Dey, injured in the in the December 10 bomb blast triggered by
the anti-talk faction of the NDFB at Missamari in Sonitpur District,
succumbs to his injuries.
An ULFA linkman was arrested by
the Police at Baihata area in Kamrup (rural) District. Two 9-mm
pistols with ten rounds of cartridges are recovered from his possession.
The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa’s
bodyguard Raja Bora alias Polash Phukan was produced before
the Special Court of Judicial Magistrate in Dibrugarh on December
26 and was sent to Police remand for seven days.
The Assam Chief Minister Tarun
Gogoi said that there will be no discussion on the sovereignty
issue during peace talks with the ULFA, according to Shillong
Times. "There will be no discussion on the sovereignty issue when
the peace talks are held with the ULFA. One thing is clear: there
will be no compromise on sovereignty," said Gogoi, adding, "the
process for (initiating) the talkshas almost started but I don't
say that much progress has been made or any breakthrough achieved.
Attempts are being made...let's hope for the best."
A NDFB cadre, Santosh Sargiyary,
is arrested from Bhagdobe village in Baksa District. Explosives,
a detonator and cash are recovered from his possession.
December 29
A cadre belonging to anti-talk
faction of the NDFB, Kamal Daimary, is shot dead by a joint force
of the Police and Army during an encounter in the foests of Paharpur
Minoshree under Rangapara Police Station in Sonitpur District
along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. Subsequent to the encounter,
NDFB militants lob a grenade on a Police convoy carrying the Superintendent
of Police of Sonitpur District Jitmol Doley at Moainajuli area.
The grenade, however, fails to explode.
A cadre belonging to pro-talk
faction of the NDFB, Deepak Basumatary alias Dikhou Raja,
is arrested by the Police at Nagrijuli in Baksa District along
with the explosives. He is involved in extortion in the area.
He has come out of the Government designated NDFB camp.
Indian Express reports
that the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) recently began an inquiry
after discovering ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah figured
in its employee rolls. "Two hearings were conducted on December
4 and December 20. Nobody came forward to either claim this job
or offer a representation on behalf of Baruah," said a senior
NFR official. The report adds that almost three decades after
Baruah last reported for his porter’s job in the Indian Railways,
where he has continued to be ‘employed’ despite neither coming
to work nor drawing a salary. ,
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi
said the Government has already initiated a peace process with
the ULFA, and expressed his hope that the peace process with the
outfit would make a stride in 2010.
December 30
Telegraph reports
that the ‘general council meeting’ of the ULFA would be held at
Central Jail in Guwahati to discuss the issue of holding talks
with the Government. Highly placed sources said that Bhimkanta
Buragohain, political adviser to ULFA, would be transferred to
Central Jail after his next hearing in Tezpur court on January
8, 2010 to satisfy ‘norms of a minimum of eight central committee
members being present at the meeting’. Buragohain is currently
in Tezpur jail. The report adds that the ‘16-member central committee’
of the ULFA can hold its ‘general council meeting’ with half its
members. At present, seven leaders of the ‘central committee’,
including ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa, are in the jail in here.
As such it was necessary for Buragohain to be present at the meeting
to make it valid according to the ‘organization’s rules’. "We
cannot say whether the outcome of the meeting would be positive
vis à vis the talks, but the fact that there would be a
meeting is a good beginning and, who knows, there may be some
good news during the festive occasion," a source said. Apart
from Rajkhowa, Central Jail currently houses ‘deputy commander-in-chief’
Raju Barua, ‘foreign secretary’ Sasha Choudhury, ‘finance secretary’
Chitrabon Hazarika, ‘vice-president’ Pradip Gogoi, ‘publicity
secretary’ Mithinga Daimary and ‘cultural secretary’ Pranati Deka,
wife of Chitrabon. Sources said a few ‘members of the central
committee’ were not willing to hold such a meeting without ‘commander-in-chief’
Paresh Barua but with people asking for talks to begin, the leaders
have decided to go ahead without him.
December 31
The Army recovers 2.5 kilograms
of Improvised Explosive Device (IED), suspected to be planted
by the ULFA cadres, at Khumdi village in Nalbari District. The
explosive is subsequently defused. The Police arrest Jiten Basumatary,
a gram panchayat (village level local self-Government institution)
member, in whose house suspected ULFA cadres had hidden the bomb
before it was put inside a plastic bag.
The Union Government decides to
extend the Suspension of Operations agreement with the pro-talk
faction of the NDFB and DHD for a further period of six months
up to June 30, 2010.
The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram
said, "Militancy is indeed continuing in Assam and Manipur
and I do not deny it." Stating that two-three top leaders
of the ULFA were still out of the reach of the Security Forces,
he said, "I am confident that there will be good news in
days to come as far as these two-three leaders are concerned…Two
more ULFA leaders Arabinda Rajkhowa and Raju Barua were apprehended
on the India-Bangladesh border and subsequently arrested by the
Assam Police on December 4." The Minister said, "We
will talk to them if they drop the demands for sovereignty and
abjure violence." The report adds that Chidambaram has so
far been maintaining that ULFA needed to drop the demand for sovereignty,
abjure violence and surrender weapons.
The Government will consider providing
safe passage to the ULFA cadres if their jailed leaders agree
to start a dialogue. "If they agree to hold discussions with
the government, we will consider allowing safe passage. This has
been decided," a source said, adding, there has, however,
to be a formal communication from the leadership. "They must
write stating they are willing and ready for talks," the
source said. "They have to come home by shunning the path
of violence," the source mentioned.
A NDFB cadre, Tejan Narzary (23),
is shot dead by Security Forces during an encounter at No. 4 Sialmari
in Kokrajhar.