"I agree that insurgency situation in worse in Assam than that in J&K. That is obvious from the greater number of insurgent groups operating in Assam compared to those in J&K. Still, Assam has progressed despite the prevailing insurgency. The people of the state are no longer much bothered about militancy and have become adept to carry on with their daily life and jobs putting up a brave front against militants," Gogoi said.
Jammu and Kashmir is no longer the area most affected my militancy and separatist violence in the country, as the conflict-ridden North eastern states of the country have surpassed it in respect of incidents of insurgency-related violence and related civilian casualties. The north eastern states recorded 1,489 incidents insurgency-related violence in 2007 while Jammu and Kashmir recorded about 500 incidents of violence less in the same year.
Jammu and Kashmir is no longer the hot bed of militancy and separatist violence in the country as the conflict-ridden Northeastern states have surpassed it in respect of insurgency-related violence and civilian casualties.
Twenty-eight year old Agatha K Sangma, a lawyer by profession and daughter of P A Sangma, has entered the active politics with the NCP nominating her as the party candidate for the May 22 by-election to Tura Lok Sabha seat in Garo hills, the Sangma fiefdom. She has become the third offspring of the senior Sangma to jump into politics after her brothers Conrad Sangma and James Sangma who were elected to the Meghalaya Assembly as NCP members in the election held in March.
The Government of India is in constant touch with its counterpart in Myanmar for opening a trade route to link the land locked North-East Indian states to markets in ASEAN countries, through Myanmar. The Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), R S Gujral, had disclosed that discussion with the Myanmar government was on regarding opening of the trade route through that country. He hoped that it would come through for the benefit of exporters from the landlocked North East.
Acting on specific information, the Army personnel zeroed in on the camp of the militant group inside dense forest, about 12 kilometers away from Manja in insurgency-ravaged Karbi Anglong district. The sentry on guard, who opened fire at the Army, was shot dead in retaliatory fire. The rest of the militants fled deeper inside the forest. The Army recovered a large number of arms and ammunition besides combat dresses, ration, utensils and electronic gadgets from the camp.
In the latest issue of its mouthpiece Freedom, a copy of which was e-mailed to mediapersons in Guwahati on Saturday, the banned insurgent group said, "The government of India doesn't seem to be keen enough to begin talks with the ULFA to resolve the conflict between Assam and India through the process of dialogue. India is rather applying all efforts for a military solution on the demand for a sovereign Assam."
A senior wildlife official informed that captured rhinos would be freed in a new environment in Manas National Park, which is a unique biosphere reserve marked 'World Heritage Site in Danger' by the UNESCO due to wanton destruction of flora and fauna in the park during a violent militant movement by the Bodo tribe during 1990s and early 2000s.
Police on Tuesday recovered 30 grenades along with equal number of explosives laden in an auto rickshaw that was coming from Daranga Mela on the India-Bhutan border in Baksa district of Assam to Ghograpar in Nalbari district where some ULFA militants were awaiting the consignment. Police, which intercepted the auto rickshaw midway near Bhutan bus stop at Rangiya in Kamrup district, arrested two suspected ULFA militants.
Though the run-up to the ULFA raising day this year was violence-free unlike in previous years, the outfit targetted the Kolkata-bound Kamrup Express by planting an improvised explosive devise on a bicycle in Namrup railway station in Dibrugarh district on Monday morning. The IED was detected by the 44 Field Regiment and defused, the sources said.
In a tragic incident, at least 17 persons, including women and children, died in different villages in eastern Assam districts of Golaghat, Jorhat and Sivasagar during the last four days after they consumed wild poisonous mushrooms. The state government has promptly warned about the danger consuming unidentified verities of mushrooms that grow in the wild.
Killing of a 30-year-old correspondent of the largest circulated vernacular newspaper in Assam by some unidentified assailants at Mourajhar area in Hojai in Nagaon district of Central Assam rocked the Assam Assembly on Thursday with Opposition members demanding action from the government to nab culprits.
At least 18 militants of three proscribed groups, including 13 from the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), laid down arms and surrendered at the base on the 2 Mountain Division of Indian Army at Dinjan in eastern Assam's Tinsukia district on Monday. The militants surrendered before GOC of 2 Mountain Division, Major General Jatinder Singh and Deputy Commissioner of the Tinsukia district, Dr K K Dwivedi besides other senior Army and district officials.
The tribal Black Widow militant group, which has been running riot in the North Cachar Hill district of Assam, has offered a unilateral truce with the government. However, the state government has preferred to adopt a wait and watch policy before responding to the truce offer. Security sources feel that the offer of unilateral truce from the Black Widow was a positive development towards finding a solution to the violent atmosphere prevailing in the hill district.
Three Northeast Frontier Railway employees were killed when suspected militants belonging to the Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel Garlosa) group, also known as the Black Widow, hurled grenades at Harangajao railway station in the North Cachar Hills district of Assam late on Monday night. Senior army officials and police officials rushed to the spot after the strike and a combing operation has been launched in the area.
A seven-member coalition government of the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance ministry led by chief minister Dr Donkupar Roy was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor S S Sidhu at the Raj Bhawan in Shillong on Wednesday evening after the Congress-led minority Meghalaya United Alliance ministry led by D D Lapang had quit office earlier in the day to avoid the trial of strength in the House.
Three militants of the proscribed National Democratic Front of Bodoland, now in truce with Government of India, were killed and two others injured when rival armed miscreants raided and set fire to a truce-time camp of the militant group at Gasskata in western Assam's Kokrajhar district.
Seven non-Manipuris were on Tuesday shot dead by unidentified militants in Imphal East district, taking the toll in attacks against outsiders since last Monday to 14. The victims were believed to be from Bihar and were in the business of tobacco products. While three were gunned down at Takhel area, one each were murdered at Kangla and Sangomshang areas of the district, official sources said.
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