TEZPUR, Dec 19 ? Lt Gen Mohinder Singh, general officer commanding (GOC), 4 Corps and the operational head of the unified command structure categorically denied that the Indian Army is involved or helping the Royal Government of Bhutan to flush out the North-east based militants from the Himalayan kingdom after the Royal Bhutanese Army began its operations since Monday last.
Talking to the media persons here at the Garrison headquarters here after 89 militants laid down their arms and join the mainstream, General Singh said so far he has no information regarding the operation in Bhutan but cautioned that there might be the possibility of militants retaliating by aiming soft targets. The General expressed his confidence that the Royal Bhutanese Army is capable of flushing out the ultras from the Himalayan Kingdom and added that the Indian Army has sealed the international border connecting the Royal Kingdom so that militants cannot sneak in the region.
?Every efforts has been made so that militants cannot sneak in, the GOC said adding that as per intelligence report, no militants (ULFA, NDFB and KLO) have sneaked into the region. Necessary steps have been taken by the Indian Army to intercept movement from Bhutan into India and the security personnel deployed in the areas have been alerted.
However, the General refused to comment on the delay of the operations launched by the Royal Bhutanese Army where the North-east based militants have made a safe haven for the last 12 years. Giving details of the militants in Bhutan, the operational head of the unified command structure said that of the 89 militants surrendered Tuesday, 18 militants, had undergone their training at Bhutan and added that so far information available at least 30 militants camps of ULFA, NDFB and KLO are still existing there with ULFA having a cadre strength of 1000 followed by NDFB 500 and KLO 400 cadres respectively.