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Counter insurgency ops to be intensified in State

By R Dutta Choudhury

GUWAHATI, May 27 - The strategy group of the Unified Command on Monday decided that there would be no let up of the counter-insurgency operations as there is a possibility of militants trying to make their presence felt with acts of violence as they are under tremendous pressure in Myanmar. The strategy group also discussed ways to ensure that the process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is completed peacefully.

Highly placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that the strategy group of the Unified Command met under the chairmanship of the State Chief Secretary at the Assam Administrative Staff College on Monday morning to discuss the overall situation in the State and to evolve ways to deal with militancy. The meeting was also attended by the DGPs of Assam and Meghalaya, GOCs of 3 and 4 Corps of the Indian Army and senior officers of the State government, Central agencies, Central forces, Arunachal Pradesh Police, etc.

Sources said that as the militants are under pressure in Myanmar following operations launched against them by the Myanmar Army, they are desperate to make their presence felt by indulging in acts of violence and that is why, a decision was taken to step up counter-insurgency operations. There was an input that militants would try to trigger an explosion in upper Assam and the forces on the ground have been alerted to thwart any such attempt. A decision was also taken to augment the intelligence gathering mechanism by all the forces including police so that specific intelligence-based operations can be launched.

Sources pointed out that as the militant groups have been issuing statements against the BJP, and after the results of the Lok Sabha polls, the possibility of the militants targeting leaders and supporters of the party cannot be ruled out. This aspect will also be taken into consideration while launching counter-insurgency operations.

Official sources said that 13 trained cadres of the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) were sent to Assam from Myanmar a few months back to launch operations but four of them surrendered after reaching Assam. Two of the cadres � Bijoy Asom and Uday Asom � broke away from the group. Bijoy was involved in the recent blast at RG Baruah Road of the city and was arrested, while, the whereabouts of Uday is not known.

Sources said that though the NDFB (S) suffered severe setbacks, two senior leaders of the outfit including G Bidai are still at large and the strategy group on Monday discussed ways to prevent the ultras from reviving the outfit.

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