'Biggest operation' against Bodo militants launched in Assam

The Indian Army and Assam Police have launched their "biggest operation" against Bodo militant outfit NDFB, particularly in places close to the international border with Bhutan, a top police official said on Saturday.

Assam Director General of Police Khagen Sarma said this to the media after reviewing the security scenario during a meeting with 4 Corps commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Chand in Chirang district.

The operation against the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) has been launched in areas under the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) in Assam. Chirang comes under BTAD.

"We launched the biggest operation against the NDFB militants yesterday (Friday). In today's meeting, we discussed the measures to be taken against them," the DGP said.

He admitted that although the security forces were able to achieve success during earlier operations against the militants, they were yet to neutralise the outfit.

He said NDFB commander B. Bidai, who was involved in the massacre of Adivasis in December last year, has gone into hiding.

"It is difficult to find out someone if he goes into hiding, particularly due to the forest areas, which works in their favour. But if he comes out and tries to attack the security forces, we are going to catch him," Sarma said.

Some NDFB cadres were still in Myanmar and the security forces were taking maximum precautions so that the militants are not able to enter India, the police official said.

Lt. Gen. Chand said the operation has been intensified, especially along the Bhutan border, the forest areas of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Sonitpur with the deployment of approximately 4,000 security personnel since January this year.

"As a result of these sustained and surgical intelligence-based operations, 18 terrorists were neutralised, 539 terrorists or overground workers were apprehended, and 175 assorted weapons, 180 hand grenades and seven IEDs were seized," he said.

He said the central government has been closely monitoring the situation and asserted that there would be no let-up in the operations till the outfit was completely decimated.

The army officer said extra personnel have been inducted with the prime aim of decimating the NDFB, instil faith among the people and bring normalcy in the region.