MANGALDAI, Sept 15 - Islamic fundamentalists and other fundamentalist groups are active in Darrang and many other parts of the State, admitted Khagen Sarma, State Director General of Police while talking to mediapersons here this afternoon after attending a high-level review meeting on law and order and operations against militant outfits, especially in northern Assam.
In reply to questions from the media, the DGP said, �We are keeping a strict vigil on the activities of such fundamentalist groups.� On the question of recent arrest of a youth from Darrang district in connection with his alleged links with notorious criminal Dawood Ibrahim, he said, �Dawood Ibrahim has massive business networks. There may be some links of the local youth with his business or criminal network but we are more concerned with the terrorist links.�
Regarding the activities of ULFA (I) in the State, he said, �The people of Assam have realized the nature, the way of functioning and anti-people activities of the ultra outfit. Hence, the people irrespective of caste, language and religion have lost faith in them and rejected the outlawed outfit, which is now confined to a very small group of frustrated militants�.
In his first official day-long visit to Darrang district since taking over as the chief of the State police force, Khagen Sarma first attended a high-level meeting at the Police Guest House with the Superintendents of Police � Sunil Kumar of Darrang, Bir Bikram Gogoi of Udalguri and Mazibar Rahman of Baksa districts. Additional DGP (SB) Pallab Bhattacharyya, ADGP (Law & Order) RM Singh, DIG of Northern Range Shubhra Jyoti Hazarika, Superintendent of Police (Operation) Dr Dhananjay P Ghanawat also took part in this meeting. Darrang Deputy Commissioner Manoj Kumar too attended the meeting.
This meeting has been termed significant following the observation of the �27th Martyrs� Day� of the NDFB (Ranjan Daimary) at Sonai Khowrang village, 8 km north of Udalguri district along the Indo-Bhutan border on Monday.
Being asked about the total failure of the police intelligence to gather advance information during the group clash of 2008, the DGP denied it and firmly said that only due to the police intelligence the overall situation remained normal in both the districts of Udalguri and Darrang during those crucial times.
Speaking about the activities of the ULFA (I) cadres in Darrang and Udalguri districts, he said that only three ULFA cadres, namely Rajen Deka, Bikram Asom alias Dipak and Ramesh Deka are functioning but instead of taking part in any major operation, they are hiding in some remote areas. �We are hopeful for their early arrest as the villagers are no longer interested to provide them shelter,� DGP Sarma added.
