SHILLONG, June 9 ? While militancy related violence appear to be declining in Nagaland and Manipur the hotbed of insurgent activities in the North-east, extremism is growing disturbingly in the hitherto peaceful states of Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. Latest statistics of extremist-related activities in the North eastern states, released by the Union Home Ministry, confirm the new trend. From a mere 14 incidents of extremist related violence in Meghalaya in 1997, the number of such incidents shot up to 70 in 2001. A total of 37 militants were killed during the period with the highest number of 15 slain in year 2000, said the annual report 2001-2002 of the Home Ministry.
In 1997, when only five militants were arrested in the state, the figure sharply climbed to 85 in 1999. The next two years saw another 108 ultras being nabbed indicating a slight decline in arrests. The Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC), operating in the Garo Hills and adjoining areas of West Khasi Hills and the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council, whose area of operation is the Khasi hills, are the two local outfits in Meghalaya. Several other outside outfits like the ULFA, NDFB, NSCN, and PLA also use the state for their activities. The casualty in the security forces side has much higher at 46 during the period 1997-2001. As many 15 security personnel were slain in 2001.
Civilian casualties also mounted sharply from only three in 1997 to 29 in 2001, the total being 60 during the five year span. Though there is no local extremist outfit in Arunachal Pradesh, militancy-related violence is growing rapidly in the state owing to the presence of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isaac-Muivah and Khaplang factions).
The state recorded a total of 177 such incidents during 1997-2001. While three militants were killed in 1998, the figure jumped to 24 in the year 2000 and then came down marginally to 20 the following year. As many is 139 ultras have been arrested during the period. So far 22 security force personnel have been killed, of whom 18 died in 2001. During the period, 26 civilians were killed.