SILCHAR, December 17: An uneasy calm prevails in West Bethubari village of south Assam's Karimganj district following the massacre of nine persons, including two children, on Wednesday. The killings are believed to be the fallout of a long-running feud between two Muslim families of the village. Police sources said a mob barged into one Surman Ali's house on Wednesday night and roasted alive eight members of the family. A neighbour who tried to intervene was shot dead. Eyewitnesses told police that the mob initially went around the village, asking people to remain indoors or face dire consequences. They subsequently entered Ali's house, dragged out eight members of his family and set them ablaze with bamboo torches doused in kerosene. All the bodies were charred, making it difficult for the police to identify the victims. The Ratabari police outpost was informed of the massacre only yesterday morning. Karimganj superintendent of police Dilip Barua said a manhunt had been launched for the culprits.He said a police had also been deployed in the village to prevent a backlash. Several families have already fled West Bethubari in apprehension of more violence. Police sources said Surman Ali, a former dacoit, was at loggerheads with one Sonabar Ali for a long time now. The latter, also a dacoit, is suspected to have masterminded the massacre. Karimganj deputy commissioner Longki Phangcho has announced compensation of Rs 5,000 each to the next of the kin of the victims. He also directed subdivisional officer Jayanta Choudhury to institute a magisterial probe into the massacre. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 18, 1999)

IMPHAL, December 18: The Manipur Cabinet is yet to arrive at a consensus on the home department's proposal for enactment of a "Manipur Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act". Official sources said the government wanted more time to take a decision on the proposal. Chief minister W Nipamacha Singh had convened a Cabinet meeting here yesterday to discuss the issue. If the government decides to introduce the Act, it will have to be submitted to the Union home ministry for approval. Subsequently, an ordnance will have to be promulgated for the legislation to come into force. The proposal to enact a new legislation assumes significance against the backdrop of demands for revocation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958. Human rights organisations have branded the Act as a "draconian legislation". Sources said the Cabinet yesterday discussed the possibility of the "Manipur Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act" being a substitute for the armed forces Act. However, the government is unlikely to make haste as Assembly elections are barely two months away. A section of ministers has advised the Chief Minister to buy time, saying that introduction of a new Act before the polls could hamper the ruling Manipur State Congress Party's electoral prospects. The proposed legislation will, in all probability, be enacted immediately after the Assembly elections. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 19, 1999)

AGARTALA, December 19: The much-touted surrender-and-rehabilitation scheme, drawn up by the Union Home Ministry, has found no takers in Tripura. The Home Ministry had announced this scheme hoping to bring back hardcore militants to the mainstream. The scheme had envisaged that the militants will be free to surrender before any unit of Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF or TSR. However, till this date not even a single militant of the banned ATTF and NLFT has laid down arms. Even the cash incentives offered under this scheme have not attracted the militants. Sources said even if a large group of militants agree to surrender, the state government does not have the facilities to keep this group together, for there is no rehabilitation camp where the surrendered militants could be lodged. The scheme had envisaged that the surrendered militants will be asked to undergo training to take up a trade or a vocation. But as there is no rehabilitation camp at present the basic criterion of the scheme, i.e. free boarding and lodging for the militants, remains unfulfilled. (Correspondent; The Hindu, Chennai; December 20, 1999)

AGARTALA, December 21: Suspected National Liberation Front of Twipra militants shot dead two Tripura State Rifles jawans in an ambush in south Tripura this morning. They also looted a self-loading rifle and a carbine. Police sources said two TSR vehicles, carrying eight jawans each, were escorting a medical team to the remote Tuirama village for a health development programme. Midway through the journey, at 8.30 am, suspected NLFT militants opened fire on the front vehicle. Two jawans, Sachindra Debbarma and Prabhat Debnath, died on the spot. The militants came down from the hilltops after the ambush and escaped with the arms before the other jawans could react. The rear vehicle, which was at a distance, rescued the jawans and rushed the deceased back to Baikhora. Reinforcement was despatched to the site and combing operation undertaken, but no one has been arrested. Sources, however, failed to clarify how only two jawans were killed and no was injured even though there were at least eight jawans in the front vehicle. There was also no explanation for the easy looting of arms. In another incident, Ambasa police and CRPF personnel arrested five collaborators, identified as Saptarshi Reang, Baladhar Reang, Radharaman Debbarma, Mangaljay Reang and Ratanjay Reang, from the Chiratanpara area in Dhalai district. Police sources said incriminating documents and ammunition were seized from them. There was also a brief encounter between Assam Rifles and NLFT militants at Natun Bazar area. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 22, 1999)

GUWAHATI, December 24: The United Bank of India is yet to recover the loan it had advanced for the rehabilitation of surrendered ULFA rebels. The total outstanding amount, including interest, is Rs 22 crore, UBI chairman and managing director Biswajit Choudhury said. Choudhury hoped the money would be recovered since the Assam government was the guarantor. Choudhury said the bank had not sent any notice so far. "We have not come to that stage as yet. We are in touch with the government and will send notices, if needed, in due course." Choudhury said the UBI had been forced to "relocate" eight branches in Manipur because of insurgency. "We have not closed down the branches but moved them elsewhere according to state government directives." Choudhury said the branches had been shifted from the rural areas to the district headquarters. Some had also been relocated in Tripura, he added. Denying that any official had fled because of threats from the militants, Choudhury said the UBI had not bowed down to rebel demands. "If we do it once, we will have to do it over and over again." (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 25, 1999)

GUWAHATI, December 27: Intelligence agencies have warned of a spurt in ISI-sponsored terrorist activities in the Northeast. "We have received information from intelligence agencies about a sinister design by the ISI to destabilise this part of the country," a senior police official said. "The Northeast is sitting on an ISI bomb," he added. The official said the region was vulnerable to terrorist activities because of its close proximity to several countries that were hotbeds of terrorism. He said Bangladesh was being used as a corridor to the Northeast by ISI agents and other Pakistan-backed terrorists. "No matter how strict our vigil is, there is always a possibility of terrorists sneaking into the region from Bangladesh," the police official said. He also admitted that security along the porous Indo-Bangladesh border was not up to the mark. The police official said the ISI strengthened its base in the state after communal riots in some parts of the state in the early 1990s. He said Pakistan-backed terrorist outfits like the Laskar-e-Toiba, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and the Harkat-ul-Jehad had influenced a sizeable section of the Muslims, particularly the clergy and the youth, to join the fundamentalist movement. "These outfits have sparked communal hysteria among the people and fomented trouble in the name of religion," the official said. The Army has also warned of a spurt in ISI activities in the region under Pakistan's new military regime. "The ISI will not sit idle, particularly after its drubbing in Kargil. It will do everything possible to create terror," an Army official said. Sources in the special branch said the hijacking of a Kathmandu-Delhi Indian Airlines flight on Friday was a warning the region would do well not to ignore. A senior official said the special branch was coordinating with other intelligence and security agencies to foil subversive activities in the region. The ISI's growing influence in Assam was magnified when the police arrested two agents of the Pakistani agency and two senior Harkat-ul-Mujahideen functionaries in the city in August. Based on information provided by the arrested persons, security forces arrested several other ISI agents, Pakistan-backed terrorists and "linkmen" from various parts of the state. (Siddhartha Dutta Kashyap; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 28, 1999)

IMPHAL, December 27: Suspected valley militants attacked a Manipur Rifles team and snatched three weapons, including two self-loading rifles and a .303 rifle, at Moirang in Bishenpur district today. A Manipur Rifles jawan was injured when he tried to resist the militants. A brief encounter took place but the rebels managed to escape. Six jawans of the Manipur Rifles, entrusted with guarding the UBI branch at Moirang Bazar, were returning to their platoon camp on foot at the Indian National Army complex in Moirang when they were attacked. The injured jawan, Manglem Singh, is now under treatment at Moirang community hospital. The jawans belong to the seventh battalion of Manipur Rifles. Since October, the Manipur police and the Manipur Rifles have lost more than 100 weapons to various militant outfits operating in the state. Barring two incidents, securitymen have not offered any resistance to the militants. This has angered Union home minister LK Advani, who has instructed the Manipur government to initiate stern action against the securitymen. More than 100 Manipur police and Manipur Rifles personnel have been suspended in connection with arms-snatching cases. The state government has also ordered an inquiry into these incidents. The government has also asked all ministers, legislators and other senior officials to seek prior permission before chalking out tour programmes in which they may need security escorts. This decision has hurt Opposition leaders the most. The state police have also instructed all securitymen guarding VIPs to return to their respective camps or units by 4 pm. Sources said this will affect the movements of VIPs. Incidents of arms-snatching started on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections in Outer Manipur constituency. Later, in separate incidents, militants have snatched weapons from the guards of a state minister and an Opposition leader. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 28, 1999)

GUWAHATI, December 28: Police today claimed to have "jeopardised" the ULFA's plan to disrupt New Year's eve and Republic Day celebrations in Assam's capital city. A senior police official said the militant killed in a shootout here yesterday was a key member of the ULFA's action group and had recently sneaked into the city. Padmeswar Deori, alias Biplab Deka, was killed in an encounter with the police in front of the Kendriya Vidyalaya at Jawaharnagar. However, his identify could not be ascertained till late last night. The police official said Deori, who hailed from Morigaon, was a self-styled lieutenant in the ULFA's action group. "He sneaked into the capital city to disrupt the New Year's eve and Republic Day celebrations. He was part of a well-trained ULFA group that is in Guwahati at present," the police official said. The police official said Deori underwent training in Myanmar and Bhutan, and had a reputation of being a "sharp-shooter". He said the slain militant was wanted by the army and the police in several cases. Deori is believed to have been involved in the attempt on power minister Hiranya Konwar's life in Nagaon district earlier this year. "We have jeopardised the ULFA's plans to a certain extent by killing Deori," additional superintendent of police (city) PK Dutta told The Telegraph. He said efforts were on to apprehend other members of the ULFA action group. "Vigil is being maintained at all vulnerable points. We are taking the necessary precautions to prevent any untoward incident during the millennium celebrations," he added. Intelligence agencies had recently tipped the city police about the presence of a 25-member ULFA action group led by "lieutenant" Dristi Rajkhowa. The ULFA team planned to target VIPs and senior government officials, besides triggering explosions to terrorise the public, the intelligence agencies said. City superintendent of police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said the ULFA was "frustrated" and would definitely try to "prove its might". He said the people's opposition to the ULFA had made its leadership desperate. However, Mahanta said the police were well-prepared to take on the militants. The police raided several localities last night in a bid to apprehend Deori's accomplices. Possible hideouts in areas like Noonmati, Gandhibasti and Chandmari were raided, sources said. (Correspondent; The Telegraph, Calcutta; December 29, 1999)