Guwahati: The new DGP of Assam Police Mukesh Sahay said that militancy in the state might have declined, but it had the potential get re-ignited any day and that left no scope for getting complacent for the police and security forces.
Sahay, a 1984 batch IPS, took over from Khagen Sarma who retired on Monday.
“Militancy in Assam has definitely declined in the past few years, but has not disappeared altogether.
It has the potential to get re-ignited any day. Militancy can any day emerge like the phoenix does from the ashes,” Sahay said while interacting with the media.
“Irrespective of whatever change taking place in Myanmar, where North East militant groups have base, militancy has actually declined in Assam. But that does not mean the police and security forces will become complacent. Police forces will always continue to face new challenges,” he said.
He informed that as many as 13 militant groups in Assam are currently engaged in peace talks with the government, while four have already signed peace agreements in the recent years.
When drawn to recent reports about Islamic militants trying to strike roots in Assam, Sahay said effective policies being formulated by the government would help security forces effectively tackle the new threat.
He said that the ISIS had generated a lot of interest in Assam.
Hits in the internet photos of ISIS are also said to be “very high” in Assam.