Army begins all-out offensive against Bodo militants

GUWAHATI: The Unified Command, led by the Army, launched a renewed and a full-scale operation against militants of the Songbijit faction of National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) on Friday soon after the Union ministry of home affairs notified the renewal of the 'disturbed area' tag under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.

After the renewal, the Army will not require any order or requisition from the state government or the district administration. However, for maintaining law and order, it will need to get a requisition order issued under the provisions of CrPC, 1973 from the civil authorities.

The decision to initiate fresh action against the militants was taken at a special meeting of the operational group under the Unified Command at the headquarters of the Red Horns Division at Rangiya. Already, there are 66 columns of the Army in the troubled areas.

Defence PRO S Newton said, "The meeting reviewed the overall security situation, recent acts of violence in the state by militant groups and resolved to initiate strong measures against them to bring peace and harmony in the region. One of the aims of the meeting was to further coordinate the ongoing operations."

Ten days ago, Bodo militants killed 76 Adivasi villagers and injured 44 others in four districts of Kokrajhar, Udalguri, Sonitpur and Chirang. More than five lakh people from both Bodo and adivasi communities have also been displaced.

The operation group meeting, chaired by GoC 4th Corps, was attended by Army officers of the Gajraj Corps, senior functionaries of the state, including director general of police Khagen Sarma, home commissioner and secretary L S Changsan, senior officers of Assam Police, intelligence agencies, SSB, CRPF, BSF and SPs of Darrang and Baksa.