Date

Incidents

January 1

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Police recovered a hand grenade and some ammunition from the house of one Abdul Milo, a resident of Islampattay in the Golaghat District.

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.

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.

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.

The SFs arrested one suspected militant belonging to the tribal community, identified as Brijen Bakla, from Gossaigaon area of Kokrajhar District.

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.

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.

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.

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 144^th 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 10^th 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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 market in 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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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 65^th 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 27^th 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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 27^th battalion of the ULFA. Five extortion notes were recovered from their possession.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 709^th 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 5^th 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.

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.

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.

The Police arrested two militants of the '27^th 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 28^th 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

An unidentified NDFB cadre was shot dead in an encounter with the Police at Rongjuli in the Goalpara District.

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."

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.

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.

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 28^th 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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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'.

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.

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.

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 28^th 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 27^th 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 3^rd 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.