Assam: Ten tribal militants held for killing of SP

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday informed that 10 tribal militants involved in the killing of Hamren police district Superintendent Nityananda Goswami and his personal security officer Ratul Nunisa have been arrested during the intensified operation launched by the Assam police and paramilitary forces in Karbi Anglong hill district of the state.

The SP and his PSO were tortured and killed by United People’s Liberation Army militants of Karbi Anglong in a remote location in Hamren subdivision in the hill district on Thursday night.

Gogoi, who also holds the home portfolio said that five Cobra battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force were engaged in the intensified operation against the UPLA insurgents in Karbi Anglong. Gogoi also held a high-level security review meeting with the state police chief and senior officials of paramilitary forces this morning to review the law and order scenario.

Gogoi welcomed the announcement made by the Union Minister of State for Home Khiren Rijiju that talks with insurgent groups would be held within a specific time frame and in result-oriented mode.

“We also want that the Central government should facilitate settlement with insurgent groups in talks as soon as possible,” he said. Gogoi announced that the state government would focus more on police modernisation to cope with the new challenges of policing and more police stations and outposts were in the anvil to enhance the presence of police in different vulnerable areas the state.

Regarding the vexed problem of infiltration to the State from Bangladesh, Gogoi hailed the announcement made by the new Bharatiya Janata Party government in the Centre to stop infiltration across the India-Bangladesh border. He said the setting up of border fencing along India-Bangladesh border in Assam was almost complete barring two small stretches with a combined length of 6.30 kilometers.

He, however, called upon the Centre to complete process of setting up of floodlights along the India-Bangladesh border in Assam as soon as possible. He said 73 flood lights were required to be set up in a stretch of 213 km.