Army Chief reviews counter-insurgency operations in Assam

Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag

Singh visited an infantry division of the Army in central Assam overseeing among other things counter-insurgency operations in the state, Defence PRO Group Captain TK Singha said.
  
He was updated on operational preparedness and readiness status by GOC-in-C, Eastern Command, Lt Gen MMS Rai and GOC Gajraj Corps, Lt Gen AK Ahuja.
  
The Army chief also addressed officers of the Eastern Command in Kolkata and Tezpur where he outlined his priorities and expectations from his officers and troops in fulfilling the mandate of safeguarding the frontiers of our nation at all costs.
  
"On taking over as the Army Chief earlier this month, General Dalbir Singh Suhag had set forth an agenda of ensuring high levels of preparedness and vigil by own troops along northern and north-eastern frontiers at all times," Singha said.
  
The Army Chief, who intended to visit some of the forward areas in the northern area of responsibility of Army's 4 Corps under Eastern Command, was forced to abandon the plans on Monday due to inclement weather, he said.

Assam: 5 NDFB-S militants killed in encounter with security forces

Guwahati: Five NDFB-Songbijit militants were killed in an encounter with a joint police and army team in lower Assam's Chirang district early this morning, said a top police official.
The extremists exchanged fire with the security forces during an operation in the jungle areas of Raimati under Runikhata police station around 4.45 am, IGP L R Bishnoi said. An AK series rifle, five pistols, six magazines, five grenades, 60 rounds of ammunition and Rs 1 lakh in cash were recovered from slain ultras, Bishnoi said.

Indian Army in soldiers in Assam in this file photo. AFP

The National Democratic Front of Bodoland-Songbijit cadres were yet to be identified, he added.

No nexus between ISI, militant outfits in Meghalaya: BSF

The statement came in the wake of CM Mukul Sangma blaming the breakaway faction of ANVC-B for killing migrant labourers from Assam at the behest of ISI to foment communal tension

AP

Shillong: The Border Security Force (BSF) has ruled out any nexus between Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and militant outfits in Meghalaya.
"As far as our intelligence is concerned there is no nexus between ISI and militant outfits in Meghalaya, especially those in Garo Hills," Sushil Kumar Singh, DIG (G) of BSF, told reporters here.
The paramilitary force guards Meghalaya's 443-km-long international border with Bangladesh.
The statement came in the wake of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma blaming the breakaway faction of Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC-B) for killing migrant labourers from Assam at the behest of ISI to foment communal tension.
"We cannot rule out any larger conspiracy to create problem across the region, not only in Garo Hills but across the region because when an organization like ANVC-B is indulging in selective murder killings of members belonging to one particular community and faith and that also hailing from neigbouring state (of Assam)," Mukul had alleged.
"I have directed the investigating agency to find out as to who are the smart minds behind these people who are guiding them. We did not rule out the involvement of ISI and other anti-national elements in killing migrant labourers to create communal tension," he had said.
ANVC-B, one of the two signatories of a peace agreement with the Centre and the state government, has become vocal against the chief minister following the arrest of 24 cadres belonging to it last month on charges of killing of migrant labourers from Assam.
The outfit had also welcomed a probe by central investigative agencies in the incident.
BSF also categorically ruled out any shipment of arms from across the Indo-Bangla border for insurgent groups in the north east but hinted at the porous Indo-Myanmar border.
"There may be isolated incidents of arms smuggling across the Indo-Bangla border into Meghalaya, but it is not the main supply route," Sudesh Kumar, BSF inspector general for Meghalaya Frontier told reporters.
The main arms route to north-eastern states, including Meghalaya is traced to Dimapur and Aizawl where it appears Chinese-made arms come from Myanmar, he said.
The BSF claim came in response to a statement by Sangma earlier this month who sought to blame 'unchecked' arms supply, including from across the international border, for the spurt in insurgency in the state specially in the Garo Hills region.
The arms route, mentioned by the BSF, was established earlier too when the source of some of the major arms seizures in Garo Hills was traced to Dimapur.
The Indo-Mynmar border is guarded by Assam Rifles, which will be relieved of guarding international borders once the Centre takes a final decision in this regard and deploys BSF in its place both in Manipur and Mizoram.
Earlier, cornered by Opposition and members from within his party over the crumbling law and order situation, chief minister Mukul Sangma had sought to blame rampant supply of arms from across the international borders for the current scenario.
"Where are the guns coming from? Whose job it is to take care of the international border?" he had said without naming the BSF, which guards Meghalaya's 443-km long border with Bangladesh.
The BSF official, however, admitted that manning the border in Meghalaya Frontier has a lot of disadvantages compared to the country's western borders.
"While in the western borders our personnel can have clear vision up to miles, the visibility in Meghalaya is sometimes restricted to only a few metres due to the mountains and forests," the IG said.
Besides, various porous sections of the border remained unfenced due to various reasons.

5 NDFB-Songbijit militants killed in encounter with security forces in Assam

Five militants of the Songbijit faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland were killed in an encounter with security forces in lower Assam's Chirang district early on Wednesday morning, said a top police official.

The militants exchanged fire with personnel of a joint police and army team during an operation in the jungle areas of Raimati under Runikhata police station around 4.45am, IGP LR Bishnoi said.

An AK series rifle, five pistols, six magazines, five grenades, 60 rounds of ammunition and Rs.1 lakh in cash were found on them, Bishnoi said.

The National Democratic Front of Bodoland-Songbijit militants, however, are yet to be identified.

Naga ultras gun down 3 Adivasis, torch houses

Guwahati, Aug 15 : Situation worsens as locals clash with CRPF personnel Thousands fled after suspected Naga militants gunned down three Adivasis and torched over a hundred houses on the Assam-Nagaland border on Wednesday evening.

Reports reaching here said many were injured in Chetiagaon, Jahajibasti and other hamlets in the Rengapani area near Uriamghat along the Assam-Nagaland border in Golaghat district after Naga miscreants set fire to their houses.

The situation further worsened on Wednesday when angry locals fought pitched battles with CRPF personnel deployed near the border as a “neutral force” according to the Supreme Court order and asked them to take on the Naga militants.

Locals alleged that the CRPF personnel remained mute spectators to the incident and failed to protect them.

Agitated citizens protested before the Uriamghat Police Station to express their anger over the state government’s failure to provide security to the villagers. The mob also blockaded Sorupathar MLA Aklius Tirkey for an hour at the police station.

“We demand deployment of Assam Rifles personnel instead of CRPF,” said an elderly citizen.
A local media quoted border magistrate and sub divisional officer in Nagaland P Phuleshe Yepthomi as saying that the Adivasis triggered the violence by surrounding two Naga villages and damaged a couple of houses before firing on the people forcing retaliation.

Despite the Assam government claiming that the situation is under control after additional forces were deployed, locals said it only worsened further when Naga militants went on a shooting spree and torched 13 houses forcing people to flee. Close to 7,000 people were lodged in relief camps in Golaghat district.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi sought additional central paramilitary forces for deployment in the trouble-torn areas.

Traders raising funds for rebels:Cops

Shillong, Aug 14 : Meghalaya police have stumbled upon a “criminal conspiracy” supposedly hatched by businessmen with an intention to raise funds for militant outfits in the Garo hills.

Today, police in Tura, West Garo Hills, lodged a suo moto FIR alleging that some businessmen were indulging in “criminal conspiracy” by raising funds from the public for terrorist organisations and militant outfits operating in the state’s western region.

In Meghalaya, only the GNLA has been termed a “terrorist organisation” by the Centre.

Apart from the GNLA, there are several other so-called militant outfits operating in the region.

According to official sources, some businessmen in Tura operate like “guides” for these armed groups and pinpoint certain people who could pay up as per the “demands”.

“They pass on information to the militant groups about a person’s contact details and his paying capacity. But the service they render is not free. They charge a certain percentage also from the militant groups for carrying out such activities,” a source said.

The source said that the police have been able to identify those who are into “guiding” the armed groups in such a manner and will soon initiate action against them.

According to government records, the militant outfits operating in the Garo hills include the United A’chik Liberation Army (UALA), A’chik Songna An’pachakgipa Kotok (ASAK), A’chik National Liberation Army (ANLA), A’chik National Central Liberation Army (ANLCA), A’chik Tiger Force (ATF), ANVC (B) and the A’chik National Unit Force (ANUF).

The cadre strength of these outfits, including that of the GNLA, is somewhere between 10 and above 200.

Since 2004, the parent ANVC group has been in a tripartite ceasefire agreement with the Centre and the state government.

Two NSCN-IM ultras killed in encounter

Haflong (Assam), Aug 11 (PTI) Two NSCN-IM militants including an area commander were killed in an encounter with Assam Rifles at Asalu of Dima Hasao district today, Assam Rifles officials said.

The 43rd Assam Rifles launched an operation against NSCN-IM militants in remote Asalu under Mahur police station and busted their hideout in a jungle there.

After a heavy gun battle, the self-styled Mahur area commander Pren Angami and one unidentified militant were killed on the spot, the officials said.