GUWAHATI, Nov 9 � The recovery of a huge cache of sophisticated weapons and ammunition in Chirang district ahead of the proposed visits by the President and the Prime Minister to Assam, has sounded an alert for the police and security forces operating in the State. Moreover, emergence of a new outfit in the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD) is also a matter of serious concern.
Highly placed security sources told The Assam Tribune that the sophisticated arms and ammunition seized in Kajalgaon area in Chirang district yesterday were brought from Dimapur in Nagaland and those were meant for the Darjeeling-based Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha and a newly formed Nepali militant outfit in the BTAD area.
Sources said the weapons were procured from clandestine arms dealers in Dimapur and a special compartment was made in the Tata Safari vehicle bearing registration number WB-74-AE 4788 to conceal the weapons and ammunition. The security agencies received a tip-off a few days back about possibility of arms movement through Assam and accordingly, the forces were put on alert. Police managed to seize the weapons last night while checking the vehicle and arrested two persons travelling in the vehicle. The owner of the vehicle, Umesh Karni is a member of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha and hails from Jalpaiguri area in West Bengal, while the second person, Ganesh Chetri is a member of the newly formed militant group in BTAD.
It may be mentioned here that the items recovered included sophisticated weapons including M 16 rifle, two nine mm pistols, three .32 pistols, 80 rounds of AK series rifle ammunition, 198 rounds of M 16 ammunition, 300 rounds of nine mm ammunition and 60 rounds of .32 ammunition. Interestingly, a telescopic sight for M 16 rifle was also recovered.
Security sources admitted that the recovery of the weapons before the visits by the President and the Prime Minister was a matter of serious concern and this proved that rebels are still able to bring in weapons to Assam. Sources also said that the recovery of the telescopic sight should be viewed very seriously as the same is used for targeting someone from a long distance and the matter of VIP security should be taken very seriously now.
