An oil pipeline at Makum in upper Assam's Tinsukia district was today damaged in an explosion for which ULFA claimed responsibility.
The explosion in the pipeline of the IOC-Assam Oil Division (AOD) created a 4-ft crater in Pachim Mamarani area, AOD sources said, adding there was no report of any casualty.
The explosion led to a minor fire.
The pipeline carries finished refined petrol, diesel and furnace oil to AOD's terminal at Tinsukia for retail distribution. Some quantity of oil in the pipeline spilled over two acres near the place of occurrence.
Senior IOC-AOD officials and security forces have rushed to the spot to find out the cause of the blast, which was yet to be ascertained, they said. It could be due to technical reasons as well, they said.
Meanwhile, the anti-talk faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), in an e-mail to PTI, claimed responsibility for the blast.
The Paresh Baruah-led faction's publicity wing member Aranya Asom said magnetic programmable time device was used to blow up the oil pipeline.
Police, however, said the hand of the proscribed ULFA in the explosion could not be confirmed immediately.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Insurgent arrested with pistol in interior Manipur
Imphal: An insurgent of the banned People's Liberation Army (PLA) was arrested by a combined team of police commandos and Assam Rifles personnel in Imphal West district of Manipur, police said Wednesday.
Following a report of movement of armed ultras, the combined team launched a massive search operation at interior Wabgai Tera Pishak area yesterday and nabbed the insurgent identified as self-styled lance corporal Thongam Sanjit alias Kamo.
One 9mm pistol and two rounds of ammunition were recovered from his possession, police ,said adding that PLA is the armed wing of Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) which has been fighting along with some major insurgent organisations for an 'independent Manipur' for over four decades now.
He has been handed over to Imphal police for further interrogation.
Following a report of movement of armed ultras, the combined team launched a massive search operation at interior Wabgai Tera Pishak area yesterday and nabbed the insurgent identified as self-styled lance corporal Thongam Sanjit alias Kamo.
One 9mm pistol and two rounds of ammunition were recovered from his possession, police ,said adding that PLA is the armed wing of Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) which has been fighting along with some major insurgent organisations for an 'independent Manipur' for over four decades now.
He has been handed over to Imphal police for further interrogation.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Two anti-talk militants arrested in Assam
Guwahati, Jan 15 : Security forces in Assam's Kokrajhar district
have nabbed two militants of the anti-talk faction of the National
Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), an official said Monday.
Kokrajhar Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar said the two militants received bullet injuries in a gun-battle with the security forces, were nabbed from Ultapani area.
"Acting on a tip off, a joint team of the army and the police launched an operation at Ultapani area, which is near the border of Kokrajhar and Chirang district," he said.
The security forces have recovered two grenades, one pistol and some incriminating documents from the injured militants.
"A massive search operation is on to ascertain if any other militants are hiding in that area," he said.
The arrested militants were distributing extortion notes.
Kokrajhar Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar said the two militants received bullet injuries in a gun-battle with the security forces, were nabbed from Ultapani area.
"Acting on a tip off, a joint team of the army and the police launched an operation at Ultapani area, which is near the border of Kokrajhar and Chirang district," he said.
The security forces have recovered two grenades, one pistol and some incriminating documents from the injured militants.
"A massive search operation is on to ascertain if any other militants are hiding in that area," he said.
The arrested militants were distributing extortion notes.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
NE ultras setting up bases in Nepal
GUWAHATI, Jan 10 – “Terror funding”, that is funding received by the militant outfits of the North East region of the country has become a major cause of concern and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has started a probe in this regard. Meanwhile, the militant groups have also started to establish their bases in Nepal to evade arrest by the police and security forces.
The commander of the Mobile Task Force (MTF) of the banned militant outfit Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), N Priyo Kumar alias Kesho Meitie, who was arrested by the NIA, was staying in Siliguri area by using the false name of Raju Chetri and he was using fake identity papers including driving licenses, PAN cards etc.
Official sources said that Chetri had established bases in Nepal where he went often to evade arrest by the security forces. He was in fact nabbed on his way back to Siliguri from Nepal. Sources said that the militant leader was staying in the Siliguri area for some time with his family members by using the fake name and was responsible for the transaction of funds.
It may be mentioned here that earlier, Niranjan Hojai, the commander-in-chief of the DHD (J) was also arrested from Indo-Nepal border areas when he was returning to India from the neighbouring country and the recent arrest of the KCP leader proved it once again that the militant leaders of the North East are using the territory of Nepal to evade arrest by the security forces.
Meanwhile, the arrest of the KCP leader led to the investigation of the terror funding aspect as the investigations carried out so far by the NIA revealed that Priyo Kumar himself was collecting around two crore Rupees a year from extortions. The NIA is now investigating into the details of terror funding and the sources from where the militants are receiving money.
The NIA has already filed a charge sheet against Priyo Kumar and two other leaders of the KCP. In the charge sheet, the NIA mentioned that Priyo was responsible for a number of incidents of kidnapping for extortion, extortion from Government departments, killings if innocents etc. He was running the terror network from the bases in Indo-Nepal border areas, the charge sheet said.
The second person charge sheeted in connection was the case by the NIA was Y Ingo Singh, who was assigned with the task of collecting extorted money from different departments of the Government of Manipur and deposit in the account of Priyo through a network of internet banking transfer agents in Manipur.
The third person charge sheeted in the case was Gopendro Singh, the chief of the KCP(MC) and he was charged with waging war against the country. The KCP, under the chairmanship of Gopendra, was responsible for a number of major incidents of violence including attacks on Indian security force personnel, Government officials, bomb blasts in public places including an attack on the Governor’s House of Manipur, the NIA said in the charge sheet.
The commander of the Mobile Task Force (MTF) of the banned militant outfit Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), N Priyo Kumar alias Kesho Meitie, who was arrested by the NIA, was staying in Siliguri area by using the false name of Raju Chetri and he was using fake identity papers including driving licenses, PAN cards etc.
Official sources said that Chetri had established bases in Nepal where he went often to evade arrest by the security forces. He was in fact nabbed on his way back to Siliguri from Nepal. Sources said that the militant leader was staying in the Siliguri area for some time with his family members by using the fake name and was responsible for the transaction of funds.
It may be mentioned here that earlier, Niranjan Hojai, the commander-in-chief of the DHD (J) was also arrested from Indo-Nepal border areas when he was returning to India from the neighbouring country and the recent arrest of the KCP leader proved it once again that the militant leaders of the North East are using the territory of Nepal to evade arrest by the security forces.
Meanwhile, the arrest of the KCP leader led to the investigation of the terror funding aspect as the investigations carried out so far by the NIA revealed that Priyo Kumar himself was collecting around two crore Rupees a year from extortions. The NIA is now investigating into the details of terror funding and the sources from where the militants are receiving money.
The NIA has already filed a charge sheet against Priyo Kumar and two other leaders of the KCP. In the charge sheet, the NIA mentioned that Priyo was responsible for a number of incidents of kidnapping for extortion, extortion from Government departments, killings if innocents etc. He was running the terror network from the bases in Indo-Nepal border areas, the charge sheet said.
The second person charge sheeted in connection was the case by the NIA was Y Ingo Singh, who was assigned with the task of collecting extorted money from different departments of the Government of Manipur and deposit in the account of Priyo through a network of internet banking transfer agents in Manipur.
The third person charge sheeted in the case was Gopendro Singh, the chief of the KCP(MC) and he was charged with waging war against the country. The KCP, under the chairmanship of Gopendra, was responsible for a number of major incidents of violence including attacks on Indian security force personnel, Government officials, bomb blasts in public places including an attack on the Governor’s House of Manipur, the NIA said in the charge sheet.
Surrender ‘fiasco’ in Manipur camp
Assam Rifles denies ‘conspiracy’ charge, releases seven ‘rebel’ youths from Thoubal district
KHELEN THOKCHOM
Imphal, Jan. 8: A “conspiracy,” allegedly hatched in an Assam Rifles post at Heirok in Thoubal district to force innocent youths to surrender, was exposed today. The incident has cast doubts on the credibility of mass surrender programmes organised by the force in Manipur recently.
Police arrested S. Purnima and her landlord Th. Rameshore from Heirok in connection with the case. Purnima is the wife of Salam Gambhir Singh, a surrendered militant, apparently staying at the 42 Assam Rifles post in Chandel district, while Rameshore is the father of one of the seven youths.
The youths, aged between 20 and 25, narrated their experience to the media here today.
They feared that they could be targeted for exposing the “conspiracy”.
They said Purnima promised N. Herojit (21), Th. Milan (25), M. Premkant (21), N. Johny (21), E. Muhindro (20), M. Thoiba (21) and M. Oken (25) that they would be recruited to the Assam Rifles. She took them to the 42 Assam Rifles post in two batches on December 29 and January 4 and handed them to her husband at the post.
Two of the youths are students, one a driver, one a shopkeeper, one a carpenter and one a construction labourer and one is unemployed.
“First an Assam Rifles officer recorded our names and later he sent us to a room where 50/60 other civilians like us were already gathered. There a civilian, believed to be a surrendered militant, took our signatures on papers, which mentioned us as cadres of the Military Defence Force (Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup),” Thoiba said.
On learning that they were going to be forced to join surrender programmes in the name of the militant group, the youths objected and sought permission to return home.
“We were threatened against leaving the Assam Rifles post but after our parents and villagers kicked up a furore at Heirok we were finally released,” Thoiba said.
Five were allowed to go home on January 5 while two were released yesterday.
“This is a plan to force innocent youths to take part in surrender programmes. The government should hold an inquiry into the recent surrender programmes to find out how many of the surrendered youths are genuine,” Mandir Laishram, a spokesman for Heirok, demanded.
N. Kameshore, secretary of Heirok Eastern Sporting Union, said the incident was condemnable as those involved in it were misguiding innocent youths.
He demanded steps by the government to prevent such incidents.
The Assam Rifles authorities clarified that Gambhir Singh and his wife had brought the youths saying they were cadres of the Military Defence Force.
The Assam Rifles post released them yesterday after finding that they were not militants.
KHELEN THOKCHOM
Imphal, Jan. 8: A “conspiracy,” allegedly hatched in an Assam Rifles post at Heirok in Thoubal district to force innocent youths to surrender, was exposed today. The incident has cast doubts on the credibility of mass surrender programmes organised by the force in Manipur recently.
Police arrested S. Purnima and her landlord Th. Rameshore from Heirok in connection with the case. Purnima is the wife of Salam Gambhir Singh, a surrendered militant, apparently staying at the 42 Assam Rifles post in Chandel district, while Rameshore is the father of one of the seven youths.
The youths, aged between 20 and 25, narrated their experience to the media here today.
They feared that they could be targeted for exposing the “conspiracy”.
They said Purnima promised N. Herojit (21), Th. Milan (25), M. Premkant (21), N. Johny (21), E. Muhindro (20), M. Thoiba (21) and M. Oken (25) that they would be recruited to the Assam Rifles. She took them to the 42 Assam Rifles post in two batches on December 29 and January 4 and handed them to her husband at the post.
Two of the youths are students, one a driver, one a shopkeeper, one a carpenter and one a construction labourer and one is unemployed.
“First an Assam Rifles officer recorded our names and later he sent us to a room where 50/60 other civilians like us were already gathered. There a civilian, believed to be a surrendered militant, took our signatures on papers, which mentioned us as cadres of the Military Defence Force (Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup),” Thoiba said.
On learning that they were going to be forced to join surrender programmes in the name of the militant group, the youths objected and sought permission to return home.
“We were threatened against leaving the Assam Rifles post but after our parents and villagers kicked up a furore at Heirok we were finally released,” Thoiba said.
Five were allowed to go home on January 5 while two were released yesterday.
“This is a plan to force innocent youths to take part in surrender programmes. The government should hold an inquiry into the recent surrender programmes to find out how many of the surrendered youths are genuine,” Mandir Laishram, a spokesman for Heirok, demanded.
N. Kameshore, secretary of Heirok Eastern Sporting Union, said the incident was condemnable as those involved in it were misguiding innocent youths.
He demanded steps by the government to prevent such incidents.
The Assam Rifles authorities clarified that Gambhir Singh and his wife had brought the youths saying they were cadres of the Military Defence Force.
The Assam Rifles post released them yesterday after finding that they were not militants.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
No more talks with ultras in future: MHA
SHILLONG, Jan 7 – The Union Home Ministry on Saturday said that it would take a decision of not holding any discussion with insurgent groups anywhere in the country in the days ahead, but demand their unconditional surrender.
Shambhu Singh, joint secretary ministry of Home Affairs said that each time the Centre holds talks with one insurgent group with its set of demands another surfaces with its own set of demands.
“The issue is that every time you talk to a group a small remnant of the group breaks away and again continues with its illegal and totally prejudicial activities and then thinks that it will be given the same moral high ground and high table to sit and discuss and put across its demands which are basically nonexistent…they better surrender,” Singh stated.
“We might take a decision of not holding any talks with any group anywhere, this policy decision in the pipelines,” Singh said after its meeting with the Garo Hills based militant organisation, Achik National Volunteer’s Council (ANVC).
Meanwhile, after getting more than what it earlier demanded, the ANVC said after its meeting with Home Ministry officials and State Government, that it would sign a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) in the next week.
Calling its meeting “fruitful” Arist Sangma, ANVC “publicity secretary” said that after today’s meeting its 13 charter of demand would be sent to the State Government for further studies and the MoS would be signed next week and after that it would surrender all its arms to the Government. Its 168 cadres would also move out of the two designated camps after the MoS is signed.
The ANVC which was demanding for a Garoland Autonomous Council in line with the Boroland Autonomous Council has now settled for extended powers to be given to the Garo Hills Autonomous Council (GHADC).
Some of the prominent points that the Centre has agreed to, Sangma said is about direct funding to the GHADC and its strength would be increased from the present 30-memebers to 40 members. The ANVC has demanded that two of its cadres be automatically be nominated to the Council by the Governor.
In the direct funding pattern, the Centre would direct the fund for the Garos hills region through a State finance commission, which in turn would fund the GHADC to carry out development works in the districts of Garo Hills.
Another significant decision that would be undertaken is that the municipality would be abolished and the wards would be brought under the GHADC. “We have got more than we demanded,” Sangma said happily after the four-hour long meeting with the officials.
Asked about the demand of their earlier demand of a Garoland Autonomous Council, Sangma said, that only the nomenclature of the GHADC has remained unchanged, and most of their demand has been included in function of the GHADC, which is what they wanted.
In the meeting, the breakaway faction of the ANVC also came forward for the talks and Sangma said that they too have expressed satisfaction on the outcome of the meeting. The breakaway faction came after an appeal from the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma. It wasn’t clear immediately what set of demands the new group presented to the Home Ministry officials.
Shambhu Singh, joint secretary ministry of Home Affairs said that each time the Centre holds talks with one insurgent group with its set of demands another surfaces with its own set of demands.
“The issue is that every time you talk to a group a small remnant of the group breaks away and again continues with its illegal and totally prejudicial activities and then thinks that it will be given the same moral high ground and high table to sit and discuss and put across its demands which are basically nonexistent…they better surrender,” Singh stated.
“We might take a decision of not holding any talks with any group anywhere, this policy decision in the pipelines,” Singh said after its meeting with the Garo Hills based militant organisation, Achik National Volunteer’s Council (ANVC).
Meanwhile, after getting more than what it earlier demanded, the ANVC said after its meeting with Home Ministry officials and State Government, that it would sign a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) in the next week.
Calling its meeting “fruitful” Arist Sangma, ANVC “publicity secretary” said that after today’s meeting its 13 charter of demand would be sent to the State Government for further studies and the MoS would be signed next week and after that it would surrender all its arms to the Government. Its 168 cadres would also move out of the two designated camps after the MoS is signed.
The ANVC which was demanding for a Garoland Autonomous Council in line with the Boroland Autonomous Council has now settled for extended powers to be given to the Garo Hills Autonomous Council (GHADC).
Some of the prominent points that the Centre has agreed to, Sangma said is about direct funding to the GHADC and its strength would be increased from the present 30-memebers to 40 members. The ANVC has demanded that two of its cadres be automatically be nominated to the Council by the Governor.
In the direct funding pattern, the Centre would direct the fund for the Garos hills region through a State finance commission, which in turn would fund the GHADC to carry out development works in the districts of Garo Hills.
Another significant decision that would be undertaken is that the municipality would be abolished and the wards would be brought under the GHADC. “We have got more than we demanded,” Sangma said happily after the four-hour long meeting with the officials.
Asked about the demand of their earlier demand of a Garoland Autonomous Council, Sangma said, that only the nomenclature of the GHADC has remained unchanged, and most of their demand has been included in function of the GHADC, which is what they wanted.
In the meeting, the breakaway faction of the ANVC also came forward for the talks and Sangma said that they too have expressed satisfaction on the outcome of the meeting. The breakaway faction came after an appeal from the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma. It wasn’t clear immediately what set of demands the new group presented to the Home Ministry officials.
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