Insurgency / Assam

GUWAHATI, Jan 21— The ceasefire agreement between the Government of India and the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) has been extended by a period of six months with effect from January 8. The earlier cease-fire agreement between the government and the Bodo militant outfit came to an end today. A Ministry of Home Affairs release said that the deferment of the ban on the BLT under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 will continue for a period of six months beyond January 8, 2002. The suspension of operations by the security forces against the BLT members will also continue during this period...

GUWAHATI, Jan 21 – Close on the heels of massacre of 13 persons on January 15 in Bongaigaon district, suspected NDFB militants today struck again killing at least 12 people at village Jangalbari under Udalguri PS in Darrang district. All of the deceased belonged to a Hindi-speaking community, according to police sources here. Police sources said a group of NDFB militants came to village Jangalbari around 7.30 this evening and opened indiscriminate fire on the innocent villagers killing at least 12 of them on the spot. The casualties could go up as further details were awaited, police added. It...

GUWAHATI, Jan 17— Militant outfit Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT), which is under ceasefire agreement with the Government of India, is of the view that all sections of people of Assam must fight together to thwart the inhuman acts of violence like the killing of 13 innocent persons near Bijni on the night of January 15 last. Talking to The Assam Tribune here today, the BLT publicity secretary, MainaoDaimary, said that the attack on January 15 was an act of frustration by the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) as the outfit was isolated from the Bodo masses. He said that all sections of...

ITANAGAR, Jan 15— Kidnapping of Arunachal’s businessmen and Arunachali’s by various militant organizations of Northeast region, especially by both the factions of the Bodo militants seems to be a regular phenomenon in the recent past. Within a span of nine months, Bodo Liberation Tiger Force (BLTF) and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) had carried out three kidnappings inside the territory of this tribal dominated Himalayan State. On May 3, 2001 Sri Tadap Nabam, a businessman from Seijosa in East Kameng district was kidnapped by NDFB militants and was released on May 6 night...

GUWAHATI, Jan 16 — After a brief lull, the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) militants stRuck again in Bongaigaon district, killing 13 persons, and seriously injuring five others. Officials sources said here that the incident occurred around 10 pm yesterday when a group of about 20 to 25 heavily armed NDFB militants attacked number III Dailongjhar village in Bishnupur area under Bongaigaon police station at a time when the people of the Bengali-dominated village were performing some puja. Some gambling dens were also set up as part of the celebrations. Sources said that the...

GUWAHATI, Jan 12 — India and Bhutan have decided to strengthen bilateral ties and check activities of militants through regular border district level coordination meetings. According to a report in Bhutan’s state run newspaper Kuensel, the last round of the border district coordination meeting was held at Jalpaiguri between January 7 to 9. The Joint Secretary of the Bhutanese Home Ministry, Dasho Tshering Wangda led the Bhutanese delegation, while, the Indian delegation was led by the Commissioner of Jalpaiguri division, AK Jain.

Apart from other bilateral issues, the border district level...

GUWAHATI, Jan 8 — In view of the ‘close links’ between the banned ULFA and Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) based in North Bengal areas, Assam Police is in touch with West Bengal Police to hammer out a joint strategy to contain KLO activities. The Director General of Assam Police, Sri H N Deka, today told The Assam Tribune that a meeting between the State Police and its West Bengal counterpart would soon take place to discuss strategy to check the growing activities of the KLO. Sri Deka said, ‘a joint strategy between Assam Police and West Bengal Police is the need of the hour as the...

GUWAHATI, Jan 7 — Though the Government of Bhutan has officially informed the Indian Government about the action of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) of shifting four camps from the Himalayan Kingdom, the security agencies involved in the counter-insurgency operations in Assam are skeptical about the whole affair. Security sources pointed out that shifting of four camps would not serve any purpose as long as the militant outfits operating in Assam continue to have their bases in the neighbouring country. Moreover, though security measures along the Assam-Bhutan areas have been...

GUWAHATI, Jan 7 — Perhaps, she is one of the most unfortunate women who has been suffering a lot during the last two decades. During the last 20 years she has lost some of her dearest ones — she is Bharati Rajkonwari, the eldest sister-in-law of ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and the widow of Dimba Rajkonwar, the eldest brother of the ULFA leader. Dimba Rajkonwar was brutally assassinated by unidentified gunman on August 11, 1998 while he was on duty. He was an officer of the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC). Harubopai, (as Arabinda is called by his family members, his real name is...

GUWAHATI, Jan 5 — The future of the ongoing peace talks between the Government and militant outfit Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) will depend on the outcome of the tripartite meeting to be held at New Delhi on January 9 and 10. However, the BLT leaders are optimistic that something positive would come out in the scheduled meeting. Talking to The Assam Tribune here today, BLT vice chairman Kamal Mushahary and publicity secretary Mainao Daimary said that they received favourable signals from both the State and the Central Governments and ‘we hope that some positive results will come out of the next...