GUWAHATI, Feb 23 - The officers of the Assam Police are in constant touch with their West Bengal counterparts following reports that militant outfit Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) is trying to revive itself and may try to recruit youths from Assam. Meanwhile, efforts are on to choke the supply lines of the Songbijit faction of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) to put pressure on the hardcore members of the outfit who are suspected to be hiding in the jungles along the international border with Bhutan.
Special Director General of Police, Law and Order, Kula Saikia, who recently reviewed the security scenario of the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts Area (BTAD) in a high level meeting with senior officers of the police and central paramilitary forces, told The Assam Tribune that there have been reports that the KLO was trying to recruit youths from Assam to revive the outfit. As the KLO mostly operates from West Bengal, the Superintendents of Police of the districts having boundaries with West Bengal are in constant touch with their counterparts so that coordinated efforts can be launched to check the revival plan of the outfit.
It may be mentioned here that the KLO has close coordination with the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) and the NDFB (S).
On the overall security scenario in the BTAD area, Saikia said that the situation is now under control as following the sustained operations, the only a handful of NDFB(S) cadres are still at large and they are on the run. A group headed by hardcore militant G Bidai is suspected to be hiding in the jungles along the international border with Bhutan and efforts are on by the police and security forces to cut off the supply lines to the militants. He pointed out that in recent times, a number of cadres and linkmen and women of the NDFB(S), who were involved in carrying supplies to the militants, were nabbed. The Assam Police is also working in close coordination with the SSB personnel deployed to guard the international border with Bhutan to check free movement of the ultras.
Saikia said that of late, the NDFB (S) has not been able to carry out extortions, while, demonetisation also had an impact on the outfit. However, there have been instances of militants working hand in hand with criminal gangs and this aspect is being looked into.
Replying to a question on the steps taken by the police and security forces to prevent any ethnic conflict in the area, which had witnessed several major such clashes in the past, Saikia said that the forces have been asked to keep a close watch on the situation, while, the Village Defence Parties have also been activated. The Police officers have been asked to maintain regular liaison with the VDPs and Citizens Committees.
