Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday asked the Unified Command to prepare a time-bound roadmap to eliminate terror groups, such as NDFB(S), and start intensified operations.
“In a meeting of the Unified Command, the Chief Minister gave orders to prepare a roadmap with proper timeframe to eliminate terrorists,” an official release from CMO said.
The meeting comes ahead of the visit of Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag to the state on Saturday to review the situation following the serial attacks by NDFB(S) terrorists and retaliatory violence.
Quoting Gogoi, the release said the state government echoes the sentiment of the Centre and will not tolerate any act of terror in the state.
“Gogoi asked to remove obstacles faced while launching operations against terrorist outfits like NDFB(S),” it said.
The Chief Minister directed removal the barriers like lack of roads, bridges and other communication modes as soon as possible and “start intense operations”, it added.
Gogoi also sought better coordination among the army, BSF, CRPF, SSB and Assam Police to have more effective operation against the terror groups.
The Army on Friday vowed to intensify its operations in Assam in the aftermath of the massacre of tribals by Bodo militants, as authorities mulled coordinated action with armies of Bhutan and Myanmar to hunt them.
Normal life in Assam was, meanwhile, affected by a 12-hour bandh called by several organisations including some tribal outfits in protest against the killing of the tribals by militants belonging to NDFB(S) on Tuesday.
A fresh incident was reported where NDFB(S) militants lobbed a grenade at SSB personnel and exchanged fire with them in Chirang district along the Indo-Bhutan border, police said.
Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag met Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi after which the General said the Army is going to intensify its operations against NDFB militants.
“We are definitely going to intensify our operations in Assam,” he told reporters after the meeting. “The meeting was to review the security situation in Assam,” the Army Chief said. The Minister returned from Assam on Thursday after a two-day visit to review the situation.
Sources said the Home Minister is believed to have discussed the issue of coordinated operations with armies of Bhutan and Myanmar against the NDFB(S) which has bases in the two neighbouring countries.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also spoke to Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay on Thursday evening seeking action against the Bodi militants and was “assured of support”.
An estimated 72,675 persons in the four affected districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Sonitpur and Udalguri have taken shelter in 61 relief camps, CEO of Assam State Disaster Management Authority PK Tiwary informed on Friday. (PTI)
