GUWAHATI, Feb 25 — The increasing movement of militants in the Changlang district of Aruachal Pradesh has posed a serious security threat to the upper Assam districts as it is impossible to check every inch of the inter-State border because of the terrain. Police sources said here that according to information available with the security forces, militants belonging to the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (I-M) have also sneaked into the areas bordering Assam, while the movement of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) militants in the area has also increased of late. The militants have taken advantage of the lack of adequate security presence in the area.
Sources said that close on the heels of killing of four hardcore ULFA militants in the Tinkopani reserve forest in Tinsukia district, while they were coming down from a camp of the first battalion of the NSCN(K) in Myanmar yesterday. The Armymen belonging to nine grenadiers today killed an NSCN(I-M) militant in an encounter at Wagum II village under Bordumsa police station in Arunachal Pradesh today and recovered one AK-56 rifle, three magazines and one three magazines and one radio set. The militant has been identified as Gohin alias Appu Gam Yobin. Police sources said that the movement of the ULFA in the Changlong district has increased in recent months as the militants are using the district as a route to go to their bases in Myanmar. The militants killed yesterday were coming down to Assam with a plan to extort money and to lay ambush against the security forces. It may be mentioned here that within the past one month, at least 20 militants were killed in encounters with security forces while they were trying to sneak into Assam.
Meanwhile, according to information available with the security forces, the militants belonging to the NSCN(I-M) are also trying to increase its dominance in the Arunachal Pradesh areas bordering Assam and recently a 40-member heavily armed group of militants was sent to the area for the purpose. Sources said that as per reporter available, the NSCN(I-M) has requested the leadership of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) to send a group to that area to work in collaboration with the NSCN(I-M) cadres. Accordingly, a 20-member group of the NDFB was join the NSCN cadres in Changlang district. However, the security agencies are not sure whether the NDFB cadres have already reached Arunachal Pradesh. Sources said that the police officials of the border districts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh are in touch with each other for sharing of information on movement of militants. However, sources said that Arunachal Police has its limitations as the force does not have adequate manpower or weapons to deal with the heavily armed militants, while, the presence of the Army in that area is also very limited. It may be mentioned here that the Chief Minister, Sri Tarun Gogoi recently stressed the need for improved coordination between the neighbouring States to check cross-border movement of the ultras. The issue was also discussed in the North East Chief Ministers’ meet in Shillong recently.