Insurgency / Northeast

NEW DELHI, April 24 ? The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has ruled out the possibility of students from the North East studying in Delhi being involved with terrorist and drug trafficking activities. The Ministry?s reply was in response to a question tabled by MVVS Murthi and Ram Mohan Gadde who, quoting a news report in the Hindu, wanted to know whether the Government had any intelligence report that some of the students from the North East who come to Delhi are involved in terrorist and drug activities.

There is no evidence or input to suggest that the students from the north-eastern States...

NEW DELHI, April 17 ? Alarm bells have been sounded in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) following reports from the region about militant outfits in Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura joining hands. Briefing the members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, Union Home Secretary, Kamal Pande said that the MHA was perturbed over reports that an understanding and nexus was emerging among the militant outfits active in Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura. This was partly on account of the compulsion of these outfits for alternative sanctuaries and camps and partly on...

SHILLONG, April 4 ? The Union Government has taken a policy decision not to deploy the BSF on internal security duty and henceforth the troops will be guarding the international border only, said the Director General, BSF, Gurbachan Jagat. Addressing a ceremonial parade and investiture of the BSF here this morning, Jagat said ?The CRPF and the Rashtriya Rifles, which are now undergoing training in internal security duty, will replace the BSF troops which are currently on internal security duty.? ?Presently, as many as 50 BSF battalions are engaged on internal security duty, mainly in J&K, the...

NEW DELHI, March 29 ? Huge funds earmarked for combating militancy were found to have been diverted by the Eastern Army Command authorities to purchase vehicles, television sets, VCR?s, computers and generators, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General, reports PTI. Making a close scrutiny of the allocations for the first time, the CAG said the Eastern Army Command purchased consumer goods worth Rs 6.79 crore over a period of three years from 1998 to 2001 from the Rs ten crore annual fund given to Army Commanders by way of special financial powers. ?These funds are allocated to meet...

GUWAHATI, March 21 ? Coordination and sharing of information with the police forces of the neighbouring States have been intensified following reports of frequent movement of the ultras through these States, said the Director General of Assam Police, Sri H K Deka. Talking to The Assam Tribune, Sri Deka revealed that conferences of the DGs and IGPs of the North-Eastern States are being need for sharing of information about movement of militants, while, district level coordination is also on among the police forces of the bordering districts. The DGP revealed that it is still not known...

NEW DELHI, March 19 ? The Union Home Ministry today added a new twist to militancy by disclosing that militants belonging to ULFA and Jammu and Kashmir have a nexus with the ISI of Pakistan. The disclosure was made by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Vidyasagar Rao in the Lok Sabha during the Question Hour. A Hizbul Mujahideen militant, who was caught in 1999 told the security agencies that he was in touch with militants belonging to ULFA through Hizbul leaders based in the Northeast. The Government is aware of attempts being made by various terrorist outfits in the country to forge...

SHILLONG, March 12 ? The police chiefs of the north-eastern States have called for intelligence-sharing between the States, on a daily basis, in order to effectively counter insurgency in the region. The 10th conference of the DGP?s of the region, held at Gangtok last week, held that intelligence must be shared on a daily basis instead of monthly or quarterly basis. Accordingly, an effective and regular mechanism needs to be put in place, the conference recommended. Official sources here said that the two-day conference also suggested setting up of an ordnance depot at Guwahati for ensuring...

GUWAHATI, March 8 ? The three militant groups of the North-East United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) and the Manipur People?s Front (MPF) of late have consolidated their bases along the Indo-Myanmar border, highly-placed official sources disclosed. The sources further said that the militant outfits in association with the Kachin Independent Army (KIA) have set up camps in the eastern part of Myanmar forcing the security forces to review their operations. According to reports, the ULFA and the NDFB have set up transit camps in Chanlang and Siang...

GUWAHATI, March 6 ? US Ambassador to India Robert D Blackwill today said that for facilitating a condition for foreign investment in the North East region of India a political solution to the region?s insurgency problem is a must. Blackwill, who is on a hectic tour of the NE region, said that though the region has immense potential for economic development, particularly in the agriculture, handicrafts and tourism sectors, impediments like insurgency, remote location and lack of infrastructure, are standing on the way of its attaining prosperity. The factor of insurgency-related violence is...

NEW DELHI, March 4 ? Demand for 512 companies of Central para-military forces by the three north eastern States of Assam, Manipur and Tripura, has raised questions in the Ministry of Home Affairs. The claim that violence in the North-east is on the wane runs contrary to the Government?s claim if the demand for additional forces by the three of the region?s worst insurgency affected States is any indication. The three States among themselves have sought over 500 companies of additional forces.

According to figures tabled in the Parliament last week, Assam has sought 58 companies Central para...