ULFA in league with jehadi groups: DGP

Major Events Vol. 3 Issue No. 26

May 1-15, 2007

ULFA in league with jehadi groups: DGP

Improved coordination between the police forces of the North-Eastern states have started paying dividends as the militants are finding it difficult to take shelter in the neighbouring states, said the Director General of Assam Police, RN Mathur. The DGP also said that the State Government has sought more forces from the Centre to ensure smooth implementation of the National Highway project and the gauge conversion project of the Railways.
The DGP said that though some acts of violence were taking place in parts of the State, the overall law and order situation has improved and the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) suffered severe setbacks in recent weeks. He said that since January this year, nearly 370 militants were arrested and about 30 were killed. He revealed that according to information available with the police, the ULFA was planning revenge by attacking the security forces, but so far, the outfit was not successful in implementing its plan. He further revealed that the police is still receiving reports about the fact that the ULFA was still in league with some jehadi groups and asserted that the police and the security forces were keeping a close watch on the situation.

The DGP said that the coordination between the police forces of the North East states improved considerably and the meeting of the heads of the police forces of the NE states, held a few months back, also helped matters. He said that the police forces of the NE states and Army and paramilitary forces regularly share information, which led to the arrests and killings of militants in the neighbouring states also.

The DGP admitted that at present, the State is facing shortage of security personnel as 40 companies of paramilitary forces were withdrawn from Assam in view of the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. However, the Government of India has assured to send back some of the forces withdrawn immediately after the UP polls, he added. He said that the State Government has also requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide extra forces exclusively for providing security to the personnel engaged in the Gauge conversion project and the National Highway project and the Centre has agreed to provide some forces after the UP polls.

Mathur pointed out that squeezing the fund flow is one of the best ways to deal with the militant groups and efforts have been launched by the police in this regard. He said that whenever the police received any report of any attempt of extortion by militant groups, immediate action is taken and in recent months a number of militants were nabbed when they tried to extort money. However, he said that cooperation of the people is a must to check the flow of funds to the coffers of the militants as “police is helpless if someone pays up without informing us. Sometimes we get reports that businessmen and industrial houses paid money to the militants, but it is difficult for the police to deal with the problem if those who receive demand notes do not report the matter to the police.”

The DGP said that security of the tea officials is a matter of concern as a large number of gardens have not used the tea plantation security force and it is not possible to provide security to all the gardens. He said that to deal with the problem, the police issued a set of “ dos and do nots” to all the gardens and the Superintendents of Police of the concerned districts are in regular touch with the garden managers. He said that the gardens have also been requested to take police security whenever they withdraw good amounts from the banks.

Maintaining law and order in the hill districts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills is also a cause of concern and the lack of adequate forces in the districts and the rough terrain also caused problems. Mathur admitted that the hill districts do not adequate police stations and the terrain also puts the militants in an advantageous position. He revealed that proposals are being prepared for establishment of more police stations and outposts in the hill districts to increase police presence in the districts.

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