‘Insurgents may join violence’

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The home ministry has warned Assam government of a design aimed at to provoke and involve insurgent groups, holding ceasefire and peace talks with government, into the ongoing communal clashes in Western Assam.

Disclosing that outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland chief Ranjan Daimary, who is languishing in judicial custody, has conveyed to its cadres that peace talks with the government was not more important than existence of the Bodo community, authoritative security sources told this newspaper that the “message” implied that the NDFB rebels should strike to defend the existence of Bodos.

Referring intercepts and field inputs, security sources said that state government has also been alerted about the ongoing attempt of minority leaders to provoke Adivasi rebel groups, who are holding ceasefire with the government, to join the ongoing fighting between the two communities.

Pointing out that presence of heavily armed NDFB rebels in Chirang and some areas of Kokrajhar has corroborated the home ministry reports, security sources said that minority leaders have been intercepted committing financial help to adivasi armed groups for taking on Bodos.

Asserting that state government was categorically told about the ongoing conspiracy, security sources feared that violence may spread to new areas.

In fact an alert has been issued in 10 districts where communal clashes may break out, security sources said regretting that officers handling the law and order failed to anticipate possible fall out of killings on July 6 and July 19.

Security sources also regretted that home ministry was not happy over the way available security forces are being used for quelling the mob violence which continue to rock Western Assam.

Meanwhile, a high power delegation of home ministry reached trouble-torn Kokrajhar to review the prevailing law and order of the district.

The delegation, comprising joint secretary home Mr Shambhu Singh and other senior security officials, had a meeting with senior state government officials and asked to deal the situation firmly.