One group of militants has returned to jungle: Bodoland police chief

At a time when the BJP-led government in Assam is listing sharp decline in insurgency as one of the major achievements in last five years, a group of militants led by M Batha of National Democratic Front of Boroland (Saoraigwra) has returned to jungle.

This was one faction out of the four which had inked peace deal with the Government of India last year. Around 1,615 members had surrendered.

LR Bishnoi, Inspector General of Police, Bodoland territorial autonomous districts, on Sunday said that Batha and 30 others moved to jungle on January this year. Some among them are surrendered militants and rest are new youths. They are in possession of sophisticated weapons.


He said that Batha's role is suspected in promoting a new group called National Liberation Front of Boroland (NLFB). “We cannot say with certainty now as the whole thing is under investigation.”

NLFB has issued a press statement recently where it espoused the cause of separate Bodoland state. The statement further reads: “We are still not free from the political suppression and oppression. The land, where we breathe is our land and the land which produces resources for us is our land. We want to live in this land free from the threat of our culture, tradition, language and political rights. Today, the unwilling motive of India government and the Assam government to solve the issue has compelled us to take a new decision to struggle and fight for our rights. So, 12/10/2020 today we have formed a new arms revolutionary group with a nomenclature and style “National Liberation Front of Boroland (NLFB). We swear to fight for our rights till the last drop of our blood in our vein until our demand is fulfilled.”

Police recovered two AK-56 rifles, 29 rounds of ammunition, one revolver and two magazines during an operation from Dighilipara in Bichmuri area in Kokrajhar district.