Centre sounds alert in NE
New Delhi/Guwahati: Alarmed at the two major attacks by Garo militants in Assam and Meghalaya, Union Home Ministry sounded an alert in the North East even as both the states have decided to launch a joint operation against GNLA militants who killed 12 people, including five policemen and seven villagers on both sides of the inter-state boundary since last Sunday.
“All the Northeastern states have been issued advisories to remain alert,” official sources said in New Delhi on Wednesday adding that the Centre is also keeping a close watch on the recent developments.
The Centre has also extended the cover of controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Assam and border areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya for a period of six more months with effect from November 4.
The decision has been taken by the Home Ministry after considering the security situation in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.
While AFSPA will cover entire Assam, it will be applicable up to 20 km from the borders of Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya where insurgent groups are active.
Simmering tension remained in areas along Assam’s border with Meghalaya where tribal militants killed seven people three days ago. Although Assam Police are pointing their fingers at the outlawed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) for carrying out the attack, Meghalaya police suspect involvement of another Garo Hills-based militant outfit Unit Achik Liberation Army (UALA) in the carnage.
Five Meghalaya policemen were killed in South Garo Hills, bordering Bangladesh, on Tuesday when a group of Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) militants ambushed them when they were on their way to a jail to take charge of a prisoner.
Meanwhile, a high-level security review meeting held between senior police official of Assam and Meghalaya in Guwahati on Wednesday decided to launch joint operations against marauding GNLA.
The GNLA ultras have struck roots inside thick jungles along Assam-Meghalaya boundary areas and have on an extortion spree on both sides of the boundary.
“Under no circumstances the outfit will be allowed take an upper hand. We will deal with the situation firmly,” said Assam ADG (law and order) AP Raut, who was also present in Wednesday’s meeting.
Meghalaya Police was represented by the state’s ADGP , Y C Modi. Officials from intelligence agencies were also present besides senior officials from paramilitary forces.
The meeting was held at Assam Police headquarter here to review the situation and decide on a strategy to deal with the rebel group that is having a free run in the Garo hills and the inter-state border areas.
A joint control would be set up in Goalpara district of Assam for the operations that will be conducted with the help of army and paramilitary forces on both sides of the inter-state boundary.
Meanwhile, additional companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed to tackle the rebel group which has also posed a threat in the run up to the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council elections slated for later this month.
The Meghalaya government had sounded a security alert on the inter-state border following killings of seven villagers at Gendapara in Goalpara districts of Assam on Diwali night.
The Assam government has also imposed an indefinite night curfew from 7 pm. to 6 a.m. on Assam side of the inter-state boundary to prevent any untoward incident following the killings.