Incidents and Statements involving KPLT: 2016

Date

Nature of incident

January 20

Bokajan / East Karbi Anglong District

Karbi Anglong

KPLT has called for a 48-hour Karbi Anglong bandh (strike) beginning from 5 a.m. January 25 to 5 a.m. of January 27. Claiming to be KPLT source, a text message to local media at Diphu stated that the organization has called for boycotting the Republic Day celebration in protest against "reprisal measure of the government" against it.

Two militants of KPLT, which is opposing the upcoming Assembly polls in Assam, were killed in an encounter with a joint team of Police and the Army at Borpung Terang village in Karbi Anglong District, ahead of the April 4 voting in the area. The slain militants were identified as 'commander-in-chief' Sajong Bey and 'general secretary' Mukrang Bey of the outfit. The Police have recovered one AK series rifle and one 9 mm pistol along with some assorted ammunitions from the slain militants. The insurgents exchanged fire with the joint Police and Army team at Borpung Terang village under Chokikhola Police Station. The KPLT had issued threats to media persons recently after journalists at a meeting in Diphu Press Club unanimously decided not to publish the extremist outfit's press releases calling for bandhs opposing the voting scheduled in the District on April 4.

Sonitpur District

Relentless operations by SFs have decimated rebel outfits like KPLT. "Because of Army operations, money is drying up for militants and they are now targeting remote villages for extortion," the source added. Locals, who already suffer from acute poverty and unemployment, are fed up with such atrocities. Last year, locals of Sirajuli village in Sonitpur District overpowered and apprehended a militant. A peaceful assembly election, where the Army helped civil administration maintain order, also showed that the militants' influence has declined.

Balipathar Sencho Bey / Karbi Anglong District

Police and CRPF, in a joint operation, arrested 'Chairman' of the KPLT, identified as Arabh Terang from Balipathar Sencho Bey Village under Bokajan Police Station in Karbi Anglong District. He was involved with many extortion cases in different areas of Karbi Anglong.

Kollonga / West Karbi Anglong District

A KPLT militant, identified as Deven Tisso (22), was killed at Kollonga in West Karbi Anglong District in an encounter with Police. A 7.66mm pistol and four live cartridges were recovered from his possession.

Karbi Anglong District

Assam Police and the Army killed a KPLT militant in a joint operation in Karbi Anglong District. The militant is yet to be identified. The SFs recovered a 9 mm pistol, ammunition, fired cases and a hand grenade from the site of the operation. "Based on intelligence, a joint operation was launched in the Nalbarigaon area of Karbi Anglong district on Tuesday (August 23) night. At around 4am, the rebel opened fire and was killed in the ensuing gun battle," said defence PRO Lieutenant Colonel Suneet Newton.

Bordikharu / East Karbi Anglong District

Indian Army and Assam Police, in a joint operation killed the 'self-styled defense secretary' of KPLT, identified as Chingengri Kronjang in Sering Ringa near Bordikharu under Dokmoka police station in East Karbi Anglong District. According to sources, acting on specific intelligence input, SFs launched the operation in Bheleu Ghat area of the District and later came in contact with the militants who opened fire in a bid to escape. An encounter followed in which Chingengri Kronjang was killed and the outfit's 'self styled commander-in-chief' Moses Terang was arrested when he attempted to escape. Two 9 mm pistol, ammunition, cell phone etc. were recovered from their possession.

KPLT called for a 24-hour Karbi Anglong bandh on September 3 from 5 am as a mark of protest against the killing of its 'defense secretary', Sering Ringa by SFs.

Five KPLT militants, identified as Jamson Kro alias Kronihang, Sohan Bey, Ranjit Tisso alias Archim, Ben Killing and Mohon Teron were arrested during a joint operation conducted by SFs in Borlangso and Taralangso areas of Karbi Anglong District, a senior Police official said. A cache of arms and ammunition were also recovered from their possession. The arms recovered include one AK-56 Rifle with 15 live rounds and one magazine, one .32 pistol with one magazine and two live rounds, two live Chinese grenades and two country-made guns.

KPLT called for a 24-hour Karbi Anglong bandh (general shut down strike) today, in protest against killing of its 'defense secretary' during an encounter with Assam Police and SFs recently.

In a series of multi directional and synchronized operations, Army and Police arrested eight cadres of KPLT including 'self-styled C-in-C' of a KPLT faction, Sunder Dera alias Rijak Dera, and recovered a large cache of arms, ammunition and incriminating documents from West Karbi Anglong District. The official said that during confrontation with the armed rebels, own troops exercised maximum restraint and upholding the principle of use of minimum force and no collateral damage arrested the hardcore militants. Arrested cadres also include an 'area commander' and 'vice chairman' of the group who were instrumental in coordinating extortion, kidnapping and recruitment of new cadres, said official. Four rifles including one AK-47 rifle, grenades, live ammunition, extortion notices and receipts were also recovered from the cadres.

"KPLT, which is in a state of disarray due to the recent successful operations by Security Forces (SF), has suffered a crippling blow," the Army official added. He said that the elimination of two hardcore KPLT cadres and apprehension of fourteen cadres in the past one month has left the outfit leaderless and completely disorganized.

In one of the biggest operations in the fight against terror in the North-east in recent times, the Indian Army along with personnel of Assam Police killed at least six KPLT militants in a swift and surgical operation in the Nambar Reserve Forest in East Karbi Anglong District. On receiving specific intelligence inputs on the presence of a KPLT camp in the dense Nambar Reserve Forest, SFs launched a joint operation in the afternoon of September 22. On September 23, the Army troops found the camp with armed terrorists. On being challenged, the terrorists started indiscriminate firing on the troops, which resulted in severe gunfight in which four terrorists were killed. Taking advantage of the dense jungle, the other terrorists tried to escape, but they again came in contact with the Army men who were in hot pursuit of the fleeing terrorists. In the encounter, two more terrorists were killed. Altogether six KPLT militants including its two leaders were killed in the encounter.

According to reports, an Army jawan was also injured during the encounter and later the jawan was admitted to a hospital, said Debajit Deury, SP. The slain militants have not yet been identified, added Deury. One 7.62 mm self loading rifle, one Insas rifle, three pistols, two hand grenades, large number of ammunition, several sharp weapons, fired cases, solar panels and blankets, etc. were recovered from the slain militants, said the PRO of the Defence wing.

Police confirmed that the recovered Insas Rifle from the slain KPLT militants, who were killed in an encounter on September 23, was snatched from the armed bodyguards of MAC Narendra Killing when militants assassinated him at his residence in Balipathar back in 2011. A group of eight heavily armed militants swooped inside the residence of MAC Narendra Killing and opened indiscriminate firing. , MAC Killing was killed on the spot and two of Killing's PSOs, Darsing Rongpi and Manob Puran, sustained bullet injuries. Militants thereafter decamped with two 303 Lee-Enfield Rifles, one Insas Rifle and around 70 rounds of ammunition from the guards.

KPLT allegedly demanded a sum of INR 5.50 crore from D. Uphing Maslai, executive member of KAAC and warned him that he and his family along with his relatives would be killed if he fails to pay the ransom. The threat, which was send through a text message, also mentioned that his house would be blown up with a single detonation. Maslai has registered a case in Diphu police station and has sought legal protection from the Police.

Several social, student and women organizations of Tiwa community of Karbi Anglong District expressed serious concern over the incident of ransom demand and life threat allegedly issued by KPLT to D. Uphing Maslai, executive member of KAAC on September 26. Addressing a press conference, representatives of Tiwa Students Union, All Tiwa Women Association, Tiwa Cultural Society and Tiwa Youth Association said that Tiwa community as a whole have remained pro-active in raising the demand for an autonomous or separate state for Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao autonomous District and, as such, threat from a Karbi organization is most unfortunate. Tiwa bodies has stated that the threat to Maslai is a intimidation to the whole community. "We maintained good relationship with Karbi community since time immemorial. This is a case of political conspiracy. The group or person who is trying to divide us will not be spared and we request everyone to expose this divisive power," said Dominic Sakra, president of ATSU in presence of other 8 heads of Tiwa bodies. He further warned "if anything happens to Maslai, we will not keep silent."

KPLT through press information issued by its 'general secretary' Vojaru Hangjang announced that the organization has entered into a ceasefire agreement with GoI for a period of six months starting October 20, 2016 to April 20, 2017. "The KPLT has kept its armed struggle going in spite of all odds and difficulties, but now it has realized that the solutions to the problems can only be found through peaceful means. The KPLT has therefore come to a ceasefire agreement with the GOI and will now continue the statehood demand through peaceful means," said Hanjang. The general secretary has also appealed the people of Karbi Anglong to extend their support to the organization.

Meanwhile, Assam Police termed the ceasefire offer of the KPLT as "nothing new" and said the "only option" left before the militant group's leaders is to "join the mainstream". "The KPLT has prayed for a ceasefire pact with the government several times before. Years of anti-insurgency operations have damaged the militant outfit's organisational set up. Now, the only option left before its leaders is to come and join the mainstream, and the letter is an outcome of their frustration," said Karbi Anglong SP D. Deuri.

KPLT through press information issued by its 'general secretary' Vojaru Hangjang announced that the organization has entered into a ceasefire agreement with GoI for a period of six months starting October 20, 2016 to April 20, 2017. "The KPLT has kept its armed struggle going in spite of all odds and difficulties, but now it has realized that the solutions to the problems can only be found through peaceful means. The KPLT has therefore come to a ceasefire agreement with the GOI and will now continue the statehood demand through peaceful means," said Hanjang. The general secretary has also appealed the people of Karbi Anglong to extend their support to the organization.

Meanwhile, Assam Police termed the ceasefire offer of the KPLT as "nothing new" and said the "only option" left before the militant group's leaders is to "join the mainstream". "The KPLT has prayed for a ceasefire pact with the government several times before. Years of anti-insurgency operations have damaged the militant outfit's organisational set up. Now, the only option left before its leaders is to come and join the mainstream, and the letter is an outcome of their frustration," said Karbi Anglong SP D. Deuri.

NS

All the militant groups of the Northeast, including ULFA, NDFB-IKS, KPLT and others are facing paucity of fund due to demonetization. This was disclosed by NDFB-IKS cadres arrested by Nagaon Jakhalabandha Police at Jakhalabandha in Nagaon District of Assam during regular Police raid. According to Police sources, during interrogation, the arrested NDFB-IKS cadres stated that not only the cadres of NDFB, but all other militants groups of the entire Northeast like ULFA, KPLT and others were facing financial crisis due to demonetization for which the ultras had been forced to collect money through car lifting or by other unfair means.