MHA tries to check free movement of Northeast ultras

Guwahati: Bogged down by growing activities of armed rebel groups and their movement across the borders of Northeast, the ministry of home affairs has decided to set up a coordination mechanism security forces among three bordering states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland to check the free movement of ultras.

Informing that decision to set up this coordination mechanism as taken in a high level security review meeting at Dinjan Army base, security sources told this newspaper that the meeting was attended among others by the special secretary (internal security) of the ministry of home affairs, joint secretary (Northeast) of the MHA, senior officers of the police forces of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, GoC of the 3 Corps of the Army, and senior officers of the Intelligence Bureau, CRPF and Assam Rifles.

Pointing out that meeting was held in the wake of recent of massacre at Dhola in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district, security sources however admitted that there have been report of movement of militants across the states but killing of five civilians by Ulfa-I rebels has been the eye opener for the security forces.

Asserting that mechanism of intelligence sharing among the northeastern states has improved considerably, security sources said that the security review meeting stressed the need of coordinated efforts to check the movement of ultras on the ground.  

Security sources said that a coordinated mechanism involving the range DIGs, SPs, local Army and Central forces officers of the bordering districts have been worked out and put in place so that coordinated operations can be launched whenever there is any report of movement of militants.

Referring the intelligence inputs from the grassroots, security sources said that the possibility more such massacres by militants cannot be ruled out so security forces have been asked to keep surveillance in the pockets of Bengali and Hindi speaking people in Upper Assam districts.

The security review meeting has also decided that routes frequently used by the militants should be plugged with more area dominance by security forces and the Army has been asked to increase their deployment in counter-insurgency operations in trouble-torn areas of Arunachal.

Security sources pointed out that that the militants are using the routes through Arunachal Pradesh to come to the inter-state border areas from their bases in Myanmar and some such routes have been identified so that operations in such areas can be intensified. Moreover, of late, the militant groups, particularly the Ulfa (Independent), is using routes through Nagaland to take new recruits to Myanmar and the Nagaland police and security forces deployed in the state have been asked to keep a close watch on the routes known to be used by the militants for the purpose.

The security review meeting also felt the necessity of improving infrastructure along the inter-state border areas for quick movement of the police and security forces. Lack of telecommunication connectivity is a major problem in the remote areas, it said.