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Launch drive against illegal weapons: Centre

By R Dutta Choudhury

GUWAHATI, Feb 11 - The Centre has asked Assam Government to ensure that no surrendered militant can keep any weapon with him or her. The Centre has also asked the State Government to launch a drive against illegal weapons.

Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told The Assam Tribune that as more than 1600 militants of four factions of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) laid down arms recently, the possibility of some of them keeping weapons with them cannot be ruled out. That is why, the State Government has been directed to ensure that no former militant can keep any weapon with him.

It is a fact that no security agency of the Central Government or State is aware of the number of weapons that a militant outfit possess and militants often take advantage of the situation whenever they come for talks or surrender before the Government, sources pointed out. �The security forces only have a rough assessment of the weapons in possession of the militant outfits and it is impossible to ascertain the exact number. That is why, during the surrender of weapons by such outfits, the Government is forced to accept only the weapons surrendered by the ultras,� sources added.

MHA sources said that though a huge number of weapons were surrendered by the militants belonging to the four factions of the NDFB, it is not certain whether all the weapons were handed over. That is why, the police and security forces will have to keep a close watch on all the ex-militants to ensure that they did not keep any weapon or explosive with him, sources said.

Sources pointed out that in the past, there have been number of instances where surrendered militants used sophisticated weapons to indulge in acts of violence. Moreover, members of militant groups under cease fire agreement also indulged in criminal activities with sophisticated weapons.

MHA sources admitted that during the investigation into the ethnic riots in the Bodoland Territorial Area District in 2012, there have been a number of instances where sophisticated weapons were used, which proved that former militants did not surrender all their weapons. That is the reason why the Centre has requested the State Government and all the forces working on the ground to ensure that no former militant can keep weapons with him or her.

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