Centre, Assam for fight to finish against ULFA
With ULFA emerging as the prime outfit behind the recent blasts in Assam, including the one on the New Years’ Day and then on January 9, the Centre and the Assam government have decided to go all out against Ulfa cadres.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: With Ulfa emerging as the prime outfit behind the recent blasts in Assam, including the one on the New Years��� Day and then on January 9, the Centre and the Assam government have decided to go all out against Ulfa cadres, both armed troops operating in the jungles of Sibsagar as well as bombers holed up in towns, including Guwahati.
The intensified operations strategy against the secessionist outfit was approved by a high-level security review on Assam chaired by Union home minister P Chidambaram here on Monday. The review was attended by senior Assam government officials including the home commissioner and DGP.
At the meeting, it was pointed out that barring Ulfa, most of the secessionist groups based in the state were in a ceasefire with the government. Even the NDFB, whose cadres were arrested for their role in the October 30 blasts across Assam, had renewed its ceasefire with the government and assured the Central interlocutors that it would observe the truce in letter and spirit.
Ulfa, on the other hand, has stepped up violence by plotting and carrying out blasts in the New Year. The intelligence agencies, which have been watching Ulfa���s activities and put its communications under surveillance, had even warned the Assam government of Ulfa���s plans to strike around the New Year. But the suspected bomber, Ulfa cadre Pranjal Deka, managed to give the police the slip after triggering the blasts.
He was, however, intercepted and killed in an encounter soon after. Two more Ulfa cadres were recently neutralised in Guwahati and Baksa and at least six arrested as part of the intelligence-based joint operations by Assam Police
and the Army.
The meeting on Monday also took a follow up of the decisions taken at the Unified Command meeting attended by Mr Chidambaram in Guwahati earlier this month. Among the decisions taken were better coordination between various security agencies active in Assam, including the Army and BSF, and setting up of a security coordination centre for the north-eastern region comprising nodal officers from each of the eight constituent states.
The mechanism, to be headed by a senior IB officer and headquartered in either Guwahati or Shillong, will facilitate real-time sharing of information among states in the north-eastern region.
The intensified operations strategy against the secessionist outfit was approved by a high-level security review on Assam chaired by Union home minister P Chidambaram here on Monday. The review was attended by senior Assam government officials including the home commissioner and DGP.
At the meeting, it was pointed out that barring Ulfa, most of the secessionist groups based in the state were in a ceasefire with the government. Even the NDFB, whose cadres were arrested for their role in the October 30 blasts across Assam, had renewed its ceasefire with the government and assured the Central interlocutors that it would observe the truce in letter and spirit.
Ulfa, on the other hand, has stepped up violence by plotting and carrying out blasts in the New Year. The intelligence agencies, which have been watching Ulfa���s activities and put its communications under surveillance, had even warned the Assam government of Ulfa���s plans to strike around the New Year. But the suspected bomber, Ulfa cadre Pranjal Deka, managed to give the police the slip after triggering the blasts.
He was, however, intercepted and killed in an encounter soon after. Two more Ulfa cadres were recently neutralised in Guwahati and Baksa and at least six arrested as part of the intelligence-based joint operations by Assam Police
and the Army.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr Chidambaram, at the review meeting on Monday, favoured continuation of the offensive against Ulfa while also mounting diplomatic pressure on Bangladesh to crack down upon Ulfa leaders and camps based on its soil. As part of the stepped up offensive, the Army would take on the armed Ulfa battalions in Sibsagar���s jungles, while the police would undertake intelligence-based raids on the outfit���s hideouts in the towns, including Guwahati.The meeting on Monday also took a follow up of the decisions taken at the Unified Command meeting attended by Mr Chidambaram in Guwahati earlier this month. Among the decisions taken were better coordination between various security agencies active in Assam, including the Army and BSF, and setting up of a security coordination centre for the north-eastern region comprising nodal officers from each of the eight constituent states.
The mechanism, to be headed by a senior IB officer and headquartered in either Guwahati or Shillong, will facilitate real-time sharing of information among states in the north-eastern region.
Download
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
ADVERTISEMENT
