North East - Developments & Debate

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Shoot-at-sight orders in curfew-bound Imphal- Hindustan Times


Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued in this curfew-bound capital of Manipur, with the state rocked by a wave of violent protests over an alleged fake encounter in which a surrendered militant was killed, officials said on Wednesday.

An indefinite curfew was clamped late on Tuesday after protests against the alleged fake encounter death of a 27-year-old former rebel turned violent.

"Curfew was imposed following several incidents of protesters trying to block roads, burn effigies of the chief minister, besides burning tyres on the streets," a senior police official said.

Police on Tuesday burst teargas shells and baton charged the protesters, besides firing in the air to disperse angry mobs.

"The situation is under control, although tension still prevails. Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued against anyone found violating the curfew orders," the police official said.

"We shall review the situation and see if we can relax curfew for a few hours to enable people to buy essentials," he added.

The immediate provocation for the string of protests was the publication of a set of photographs that punctured the security forces' claim that they had killed a youth following a gunfight.

The photographs clearly revealed that the youth, Chongkham Sanjit, was taken inside a pharmacy by security forces in capital Imphal unchallenged and then his dead body was brought out.

"We want the chief minister's resignation as well as a judicial enquiry into the entire incident," said Radhabinod Koijam, former chief minster and leader of the opposition Nationalist Congress Party.

"Extra judicial killings by security forces in Manipur have assumed alarming proportions. The case of Chongkham Sanjit is another example of fake encounters," Suhas Chakma, chairman of the Asian Centre for Human Rights, told IANS.

The state government maintains the Sanjit was killed in a gunfight.

"We shall inquire into the matter," Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said.

 

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Judicial probe ordered into Manipur encounter; 6 cops suspended
PTI 5 August 2009, 07:04pm IST


IMPHAL: Facing intensified protests against the killing of a youth by police commandos in an all alleged fake encounter here, Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh on Wednesday ordered a judicial probe into the incident and suspended six policemen in connection with it. ( Watch )

Addressing a press conference, Singh said further action would depend on the report of the judicial inquiry.

He said the state government would request the Guwahati High Court to spare a sitting judge to conduct the inquiry but did not say when the judicial commission would submit its report.

Chungkham Sanjit (27) was killed in the allegedly fake encounter on July 23 at Imphal Market complex by police commandos. The chief minister said Sanjit was a former activist of militant group People's Liberation Army (PLA).

He said his earlier remarks about Sanjit being an active PLA member was based on reports given to him by the Director General of Police and other senior police officials.

Leading social outfit Apunba Lup, which is spearheading an agitation in protest against the killing of Sanjit, claimed he was innocent.

Judicial probe ordered into Manipur encounter; 6 cops suspended - India - NEWS - The Times of India

 

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65 rebels killed in Assam since June
TNN 5 August 2009, 11:29pm IST


GUWAHATI: Security forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations have gunned down 65 militants of various outfits since June. The NDFB, which is in ceasefire with the government, is the worst hit with 36 cadres of the outfit falling prey to bullets during this period.

In the past 12 hours, two militants of the outfit have been killed in Sonitpur and Dhemaji districts. According to security forces, the deceased belonged to the Ranjan Daimary faction of the outfit, which has declared truce but is not ready to talk within the Constitution.

However, rebels of the other faction staying in designated camps have agreed to a solution within the Constitution.

Twenty-four NDFB militants were killed in June, 8 in July and 3 this month. These killings have taken place in the BTC belt from Kokrajhar to Udalguri and neighbouring Sonitpur district.

Security forces claimed the deaths of NDFB cadres have put pressure on Ranjan Daimary, who is based in Bangladesh. They added that the Ranjan Daimary faction of NDFB is likely to carry out terror strikes jointly with Ulfa in the run-up to Independence Day.

Data available with security forces reveal that the DHD (J), which is the most dangerous outfit, has suffered just one casualty in June.

The figures suggest that the identity of five of these slain militants couldn't be ascertained. Among them, three were killed in June and and three in July. Again, 15 Ulfa cadres were killed in June and another five in July. Five KLNLF militants were killed in June.

Security forces claimed that the killing of NDFB's explosive expert and most wanted terrorist Gandi, in the Gogamukh area of Dhemaji district on Tuesday night, was a big blow to the outfit. One Chinese pistol and ammunition were found on the slain militant.

Defence spokesman Col R Kalia said the slain NDFB militant and two other men were travelling in two motorcycles in the Monabarie tea estate early on Wednesday morning when they were asked to stop by a patrol team.

He added that the three youths didn't stop and one of them was killed in the encounter. The other two managed to flee taking advantage of bad light. An M20 pistol and ammunition were found on the slain militant.

65 rebels killed in Assam since June - Guwahati - City - NEWS - The Times of India

 

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Imphal shame: the inside story- Hindustan Times

Bowing to a public outcry, Manipur has ordered a judicial probe into the alleged fake encounter that claimed a pregnant woman and a former militant here on July 23

Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh announced this after returning from New Delhi on Wednesday. He also said six Manipur Police Commando (MPC) personnel, caught on camera during the “encounter” have been suspended.

“We want to ensure justice to the victims, hence the probe by a sitting or retired judge,” he said, adding that his government would prefer the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court to handle the probe.

Promising “necessary action” against the guilty police commandos following the probe, the CM said his government would desist from giving the police a “free hand” in carrying out counter-insurgency operations.

Singh was non-committal about stepping down on moral grounds — pressure is also on Manipur DGP Y. Joykumar Singh to quit — but said the situation would be decided if curfew is relaxed in the greater Imphal area.

Curfew was imposed since 10 pm on Tuesday following widespread protests in the state capital.

The protests, spearheaded by Apunba Lup (meaning United Body), a conglomerate of various social and human rights organisations, is against the “encounter” deaths of the pregnant Th Rabina Devi (23) and former militant Chongkhan Sanjit.

Notably, the unrest across the Imphal Valley is reminiscent of what followed the custodial death of alleged militant Thangjam Manorama (32) in July 2004.

As in Manorama’s case, Sanjit’s killing has put the focus back on the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act [AFSPA].

The AFSPA, legislated in 1958 for “disturbed areas” in the seven northeastern states, is in force in Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and parts of Tripura. In the remaining states, it sanctions operational immunity to the armed forces within 20 km from the inter-state border.

In November 2000, Irom Sharmila Chanu, then 30, put the spotlight on this ‘draconian’ Act — the armed forces swear by it, but those at the receiving end say it gives them the “licence to kill with impunity” — by starting her indefinite fast.

The killing of 10 villagers by Assam Rifles personnel at Malom in Imphal West district triggered her fast that continues to this day.

A series of demonstrations — including the nude protest by a dozen women — following Manorama’s death made the Manipur government withdraw the AFSPA from the Imphal Municipal Area comprising eight assembly constituencies.

But as Babloo Loitongbam of the Imphal-based Human Rights Alert pointed out, the armed forces devised “joint operations” with MPCs to operate within the no-AFSPA zone. The police, notably, are not governed by the AFSPA.

The bulk of some 50 extra-judicial killings in Manipur till January this year have been attributed to such joint operations. The July 23 ‘fake encounter’ was arguably the first photographed case where the MPCs operated on their own.

 

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Army Colonel abducted in Guwahati

Updated on Thursday, August 06, 2009, 17:56 IST Tags:Army Colonel, Guwahati

New Delhi: An army Colonel was abducted from his residence in Guwahati, army sources said here on.


Col Dayal Kakoti of the 13-Mahar Regiment was abducted from his residence last night by unknown persons.

He was going to Tezpur to join his new unit and had stopped in his hometown Guwahati to visit his family.

"Between 8 pm and 10 pm, some unidentified men abducted him from his residence. His family approached the police and lodged an FIR," a source said.

Bureau Report

Army Colonel abducted in Guwahati

 

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Huge quantities of explosives seized, three arrested

Updated on Thursday, August 06, 2009, 15:29 IST

Karimganj (Assam): Huge quantities of explosives were seized and three persons were arrested from a village along the Indo-Bangla border in Assam's Karimganj district on Thursday, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, BSF personnel found the explosives from a house in Maladighipar area in a remote border village and arrested three persons from the house.


The seized items include 10 kg of explosives and 90 electronic detonators and the security forces suspect that those were brought from across the border to create violence in the run-up to the Independence Day.

The arrested trio have been identified as Shamsuddin, Nelabuddin and Jamaluddin, the sources added.

Huge quantities of explosives seized, three arrested

 

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Gunmen open fire at newspaper office in Manipur

Imphal (PTI): Unidentified gunmen fired at a newspaper office in Manipur's Imphal West district, but there was no casualty, police sources said on Friday.

The gunmen fired at the office of Paojel, an evening newspaper at around 7.50 pm on Thursday, the sources said.

A spokesman of the newspaper said the district senior superintendent of police arrived at the newspaper office to make an on the spot enquiry.

The newspaper, he said, had not received any threat from any quarter and doubted whether any report had annoyed any individual or group.

A team of the All Manipur Working Journalists Union met Chief Minister Ibobi Singh on Thursday evening to lodge a complaint, an AWWJU spokesman said.

No individual or group has so far claimed responsibility for the incident.

The Hindu News Update Service

 

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28 insurgents lay down arms in Arunachal

Updated on Friday, August 07, 2009, 21:57 IST Tags:28 insurgents, arms in Arunachal

Itanagar: In all 28 terrorists of various outfits with a large cache of arms and ammunition surrendered at the 19 Assam Rifles Battalion headquarters at Khonsa in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh on Friday, according to official sources.


The surrenderees include ULFA (9), NSCN-IM (3), NSCNK (6), NSCN-U (2) and ANLA (8), 19 Assam Rifles Commandant Colonel Naveen told, adding they deposited Chinese Rifle (1), pistol (11), revolvers (6), hand grenade (6), IED (2) and large quantity of ammunition and explosives.

Brig Cherukapalli congratulated the surrendered cadres on their bold and wise decision to join the national mainstream.

He added that the return of large number of cadres of various outfits is an indicator that terrorists were fast losing ground and Army operations coupled with psychological initiatives were bearing dividends.

28 insurgents lay down arms in Arunachal

 

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[I-G]

Hundreds defy curfew in Imphal

Imphal (PTI): Continuing protests over the killing of a youth in an alleged fake encounter, hundreds of people on Saunday defied curfew and took out protest rallies in Manipur's Imphal East and West districts, demanding resignation of Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh over the July 23 incident.

Sit-ins and rallies were organised at Kongpal, Porompat, Sekmai and other areas to denounce the killing of Chungkham Sanjit even as indefinite curfew in force was relaxed for seven hours from 5 am on Sunday to enable people buy essential commodities, official sources said.

Police mobile parties were patrolling round-the-clock and security personnel were deployed in strength in the State capital complex to prevent any untoward incident, they said.

Meanwhile, Apunba Lup, the social organisation spearheading the agitation, said it would intensify the protests to press the government to take mesures "to stop killing of civilians in fake encounters".

The Hindu News Update Service

 

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Seven IEDs found on outskirts of Guwahati
TNN 15 August 2009, 03:06am IST


GUWAHATI: In a major breakthrough on the eve of Independence Day, police and CRPF personnel discovered seven IEDs from an Ulfa shelter house on the outskirts of the city near the Meghalaya border.

"The IEDs were ready to be assembled and could have been set up and planted somewhere in the city on Friday night," a police officer said. "It was also possible that Ulfa planned to bring the explosives to the city," he added.

Information about the seven IEDs was given to police by Mintu Rabha, an Ulfa sympathizer, who was nabbed by city police on Thursday. Police said Rabha was engaged by Ulfa as an errand boy.

"He had bought batteries used in IEDs a few weeks ago and taken them to the shelter house. He used to communicate with just one man, whose identity is not known. However, Rabha said he had seen two persons in the house but did not talk with them," a senior police official said.

Police said the IEDs were traced to a hut inside a dense forest. The security team walked for three hours from the Guwahati-Shillong highway through the hilly terrain to reach the house.

"We are more alert now that as this the second recovery in the city outskirts," a police official said. Last week, a CRPF patrol team had recovered unassembled IED from a jungle close to the chief minister's residence atop the Koinadhara Hill near the Assam-Meghalaya inter-state border.
Seven IEDs found on outskirts of Guwahati - Guwahati - City - NEWS - The Times of India

 

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1,152 Assam villages vulnerable to militant sway
Sushanta Talukdar

The Chief Minister alleged that Left-wing extremist organisations were trying to influence Adivasis through the Adivasi Cobra Militants of Assam and the Birsa Commando Force

The Assam government has identified 1,152 underdeveloped remote villages in 20 districts as breeding grounds of militants. It has decided to pay special attention to the development and creation of employment opportunities for youth to prevent them from joining militant outfits. These villages, in riverine or remote areas along the inter-State and international borders of the State, and are without roads, water supply and electricity.

Feeling of neglect
“There is a feeling of neglect and alienation among the youth of these villages,” Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said at Monday’s the conference of Chief Ministers held in Delhi. He requested the Centre to help the State implement the development plan. Mr. Gogoi stressed the need to ameliorate the perceived feeling of neglect and alienation among the Adivasi, Nepali and tribal communities to prevent Left-wing extremist organisations from making inroads. The Chief Minister alleged that Left-wing extremist organisations were trying to influence Adivasis through the Adivasi Cobra Militants of Assam (ACMA) and the Birsa Commando Force (BCF), which have been demanding Scheduled Tribe status for them, protection of the life and property of the community and employment for Adivasi youth. The two militant outfits have about 600 trained cadres and currently have a ceasefire agreement with the State government. “Reports of Maoists trying to make inroads into the Nepali-dominated areas along the India-Bhutan border have been received and my government is taking all required actions to prevent the move. However, we need to keep a close watch on the activities of the Maoist in the State.” Mr. Gogoi requested the Centre to review the rehabilitation scheme for surrendered militants to make it more attractive. He, however, claimed that militant groups in Assam had lost popular support. The Chief Minister said that along with the existing problem of ethnic insurgency, which graduated into terrorism, there was the danger of naxalism and fundamentalism raising their heads. “We must prepare for them now. Indeed, if immediate heed is not paid to these issues, all of us will have more trouble on our hands in the near future.”

1,152 Assam villages vulnerable to militant sway @ The Hindu

 

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Eight AK-66 rifles, ammunition found in Tripura

Updated on Wednesday, August 19, 2009, 12:37 IST Tags:AK-66 rifles, Ammunition, Tripura

Agartala: A huge cache of arms and ammunition including eight AK-66 rifles were found hidden in Karangicherra, a tribal hamlet in West Tripura district, police said Wednesday.

Acting on a tip off, a joint team of Tripura police and BSF conducted a search operation in Karangicherra yesterday and found the AK-66 rifles, 23 magazines and many cartridges.


A group of outlawed All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) had hidden the arms and ammunition as it became difficult for them to enter the state by crossing the Indo-Bangla border due to erection of fencing, the sources said.

There are at least 10 base camps of two outlawed insurgent outfits -- ATTF and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) in Bangladesh, which has 856 km long border with Tripura.

Eight AK-66 rifles, ammunition found in Tripura

 

[Flint]

5 suspected NDFB men arrested in Bangladesh

TNN 18 August 2009, 09:36pm IST

GUWAHATI: Five suspected NDFB militants were arrested and sent to jail in Khagrachhari district of Chittagong Hills Tract (CHT) in Bangladesh
bordering Tripura and Mizoram on Tuesday, reported a Bangladesh newspaper.

The five are Oadhish Narzary (35), Pabitra Goyari (25), Dhiren Khaklari (25), Jonatha Basumatary (35) and Pradep Narzary (30), the newspaper said.

Intelligence sources said they are yet to receive a formal communication from Bangladesh as it takes at least 24 hours for the formalities to be completed before the information is put through the diplomatic channel.

"It is not surprising for Indians militants getting caught in Bangladesh as we have been saying about their presence in Bangladesh for a long time now. Apart from Ulfa cadres and leaders, NDFB members, including Ranjan Daimary, are known to be based in Bangladesh," sources said.

The newspaper reported that Bangladesh army and police personnel detained the five Indians in the Noymail area of Dighinala Upazila of the district on Monday. All the five, who entered Bangladesh illegally, were produced at the additional chief judicial magistrate's court of the district that sent them to Khagrachhari District Jail. The court set September 6 for the next hearing, said the daily.

Quoting Dighinala police station sub-inspector Mohammad Rafique, it said, "They said they belonged to the National Democratic Front of Bodoland from Assam in India." Rafique also was quoted as saying that 25 cocktail bombs, four mobile phone sets, three dozen pencil batteries, one walkie-talkie set, a handsaw and Indian currency were found in their possession.

Dighinala police station OC Suvash Chandra Paul told the newspaper that all the five had entered Bangladesh through the border with Tripura. On Monday, chief minister Tarun Gogoi had said Bangladesh is being used as a hub by militants and fundamentalists forces during a meeting of chief ministers in New Delhi.

 

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NDFB militant shot dead by army

21:13 HRS IST
Kokrajhar (Assam), Aug 19 (PTI) A National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militant was today shot dead by the army in lower Assam's Kokrajhar district.

The ultra, identified as Nikhil Brahma, was shot dead at Taraibari village of the district, police sources said.

Six detonators and one Italian pistol among other materials were seized from the slain militant, they added.

fullstory

 

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Three NDFB ultras, three linkmen arrested

19:3 HRS IST
Guwahati, Aug 19 (PTI) The army today arrested three suspected National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) ultras and as many linkmen and busted a weapon factory in Assam's Sonitpur district.

Army sources said country made rifles and one pistol were seized from the three NDFB militants and the three linkmen, who were arrested at Sonajuli village near Pabhoi on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.

The security forces also have busted a factory manufacturing country made weapons, they said.
fullstory

 

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Page last updated at 12:30 GMT, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 13:30 UK

Indian anger over 'arrested' girl
By Subir Bhaumik
BBC News, Calcutta



Hundreds of angry protesters have defied a curfew in the Indian state of Manipur, to demand the release of an 11-year-old girl held by troops.

Reports say that the girl was taken by security forces after they failed to find her father, suspected of links to separatist rebels.

The girl is reported to have some physical disabilities.

Troops were conducting a search operation in Imphal, the capital of the north-eastern state.

Salam Dewan, the father of the abducted girl, said his daughter should be returned immediately and he was ready to face questioning.



Imphal has been hit by protests against the security forces
"I am no rebel or insurgent, just a poor farmer. The government have no right to harass us like this just because we are poor," Mr Dewan said.

Manipur has seen security operations against separatist groups since 1980.

But there has been no statement from the security forces about this incident.

Hundreds of local people turned out in the streets of Imphal to demand the girl's unconditional release.

A group formed to demand the release of the child claimed that police had been demanding a bribe to release her.

"This is the limit of brutality and inhuman behaviour. How can men in uniform kidnap a minor girl just because they cannot find her father? " said Pholindro Konsam, convenor of the Apunba Lup, a group of militant Manipuri student and youth organisations.

"Salam was away, so the soldiers and policemen took away his disabled daughter and that has outraged the people of the locality," said Ningthoujam Memchatombi, convenor of the Joint Action Committee. "This is the ultimate in brutality. "

'Fake encounter'

The Apunba Lup has been leading a public campaign against suspected extra-judicial killings and illegal detention by security forces.



Photos of Chungkham Sanjit shortly before and after his death. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT


In pictures

It is also demanding the abolition of a special law giving sweeping powers to troops on counter-insurgency duty.

The government maintains the law is necessary to restore normalcy to the troubled state.

Apunba Lup began its campaign after the alleged killing of a local youth, Chungkham Sanjit, by the police commandos in Imphal recently.

Mr Sanjit was suspected of being a militant of a separatist group. Officials denied allegations of an extra-judicial killing.

But Indian weekly magazine Tehelka carried pictures Mr Sanjit being dragged into a shopping mall by security forces and his lifeless body being dragged back into a police vehicle.


BBC NEWS | South Asia | Indian anger over 'arrested' girl

 

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3 wounded in Manipur grenade blast
TNN 21 August 2009, 09:53pm IST


IMPHAL: A group of unidentified men triggered a grenade blast outside a private hospital at Thangal Bazaar near the Assembly complex in the heart of Imphal on Friday morning leaving three persons, including a girl, wounded. The attack came barely five days after a grenade was planted in the same clinic.

The injured in Friday's blast were identified as Gudu Jain (8), a native of Rajasthan, Md Leihanmuddin (18) and Thokchom Tomba (45). Leihanmuddin suffered critical injuries and was admitted to a private hospital in Imphal.

Amid heightened security, police arrested a person, but refused to divulge his identity. According to sources, the blast could be the result of conflicts over monetary demands by rebel organizations.

Elsewhere in Thoubal, about 20 miscreants tried to torch a government office at Yairipok village on Thursday night. They stormed the sub-deputy collector's office around 9 pm, sprinkled oil all over but failed to set it ablaze thanks to prompt actions by home guards deployed nearby.

3 wounded in Manipur grenade blast - Guwahati - City - NEWS - The Times of India

 

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ULFA militants kidnap manager, engineer of cement firm

Williamnagar (Meghalaya), Aug 21 (PTI) Suspected ULFA militants today kidnapped the manager and the chief engineer of a cement company in Meghalaya's East Garo Hills district.

Manager Shambhu Dhanuka, 55, and chief engineer P K Hore, 58, of Virgo Cement Company located at Damas along the boundary with Goalpara district in Assam were coming out of the factory in their car when around five militants accosted them and took them away at gunpoint in the same vehicle at around 5 pm, police sources said.

East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Vijay Kumar told PTI that senior police officials led by Superintendent of Police S Nongtynger have rushed to the spot.

The army and the CRPF were also on the job to trace the militants and the abducted persons.

Kumar said no ransom demand has been received so far

fullstory





Bodo activist shot dead in Kokrajhar

Guwahati, Aug 21 (PTI) A prominent activist of Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) outfit was today shot dead by unidentified assailants in Assam's Kokrajhar district, police said.

Sonen Basumatary was shot dead by unknown persons at a village under Kokrajhar police station.

Several political parties condemned the killing of Basumatary.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/241806_Bodo-activist-shot-dead-in-Kokrajhar

 

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Four ATTF insurgents surrender


Agartala, Aug 21 (PTI) Four insurgents of banned All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) have surrendered to security forces, police said today.

While two insurgents surrendered to BSF DIG at sector headquarters at Khasiamanagal in West Tripura district yesterday and deposited three sophisticated wireless sets and many live cartridges, two other ultras had surrendered to Assam Rifles at Simna camp in the district on Wednesday.

According to police, during interrogation the insurgents told them that following erection of a barbed wire fencing in the 856-km border with Bangladesh it was becoming difficult for them to flee with arms from their camps.

Altogether, 15 insurgents of different outfits have surrendered this month in the state following Bangladesh army's raids to apprehend Indian insurgents who were using the soil of the neighbouring country.


fullstory