GUWAHATI, February 16: The ongoing peace talks between the government of India and National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) faction seems to be heading towards a deadlock as the militant outfit has alleged that the "Indian armed forces are violating the ground rules of the cease-fire agreement." In a press release, the Oking publicity and information service of the Government of People’s Republic of Nagalim (GPRN) said that so far the NSCN remained patient to the unwarranted provocation by the Indian Armed Forces and if such incidents continue to take place, the NSCN would be compelled to reply in a befitting manner. The release said that the NSCN can no longer remain silent to the callous and baseless campaign of the Indian armed forces. The release said that the nature of the allegations levelled by the Indian armed forces against the NSCN reflected the insincere attitude of the armed forces and lack of political will. The Indian armed forces must realise that the government of India and the NSCN entered into a cease-fire agreement to hold unconditional talks and they must respect the agreement, the release said. The GPRN said that the recent actions of the Indian armed forces do not go along the lines of the political process initiated by its government towards seeking a peaceful solution. Are the Indian armed forces ready to take the responsibility in case of the break down of the cease-fire, the GPRN asked. Giving some examples of the alleged violation of the cease-fire ground rules, the GPRN said that the office of the cease-fire monitoring cell, the only mechanism to check violation of the cease-fire ground rules, was forcibly closed down by the Indian armed forces to sabotage the political process. The release said that one NSCN representative of the monitoring cell, Chipenthung Lotha, was kidnapped by the armed forces and handed over to Assam police. He is now kept in Diphu jail. The other examples of violation of the cease-fire ground rules by the Indian armed forces include illegal detention of 17 NSCN cadres under the National Security Act, illegal detention of 10 NSCN cadres, ordering the NSCN cadres to vacate the designated camps at Monglamukh area, the reward of Rs 1 million announced by the ‘so-called Nagaland Government’ for the chief of Naga army, raids on residences of NSCN cadres by the Indian armed forces on one pretext or other, etc, the release said. The GPRN said that the ongoing campaign by the Indian armed forces to forcibly close the Zubza outpost of the council headquarters is a breach of the agreement arrived at in a meeting of the cease-fire monitoring group held at hotel Saramati in Dimapur. "The NSCN would like to know why the Indian armed force are systematically trying to provoke the NSCN into breaking the cease-fire agreement. Are the Indian armed forces not supportive of its government for a peaceful political solution? Are the Indian armed forces trying to prove something to the NSCN?", the GPRN asked. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 17, 2000)

NEW DELHI, February 16: Several prominent intellectuals have sought the intervention of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his Thai counterpart Chuan Leekpai to secure the release of NSCN(IM) leader Thuingaleng Muivah from Thai prison saying such a step would have a positive impact on the ongoing peace process initiated by the government in the Northeast. While acknowledging that Muivah’s visit to Karachi "at this juncture has complicated matters for all," they said the NSCN(IM) general secretary also had "an obligation to his own people and to all those who have affirmed and supported the peace process to come clean on his visit to Pakistan so that fears of the government are put to rest." In separate letters to both Vajpayee and Leekpai, the signatories said their intervention in getting Muivah released "would go a long way in supporting the NSCN-government peace negotiation for a lasting and just peace." The signatories include Surendra Mohan, Dunu Roy, Sumanta Banerjee, Gautam Naviakha, Kamal Mitra Chenoy, ND Pancholi, Prabir Purkayastha, Praful Bidwai, Sveda Hamid and Gautam Navlakha. (PTI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 17, 2000)

AGARTALA, February 16: Bishop of the Catholic church, Lumen Monterio today denied charges of any link between the Catholic churches in Tripura and the insurgent groups operating in the state. Monterio told reporters here that Catholic people in the state were committed to the cause of peace and tranquillity and had no links with the insurgent groups. Asked about the appeal of Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar seeking help of the church in the state to bring the insurgents back into normal life, Monterio said he would respond positively if any concrete proposal was given by the Government. (The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 17, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 17: The Union ministry of home affairs wants more stringent law to root out militancy from the Northeastern states. In a recent deposition before the parliamentary standing committee on home affairs, several officials of the ministry observed that with the present set of law including the Armed Forces Special Power Act, in force in the Northeastern region, it is not possible to keep arrested militants in jail for period sufficiently long enough to delink them from their respective outfits. The home ministry officials implied that large number of ultras apprehended in the Northeastern region have been set free by the court of law later. So they observed that more stringent law should be enforced in the insurgency-hit region, according to a highly-placed source. But the standing committee of the Parliament hearing the Home ministry official felt that it was not the desired approach towards the problem of militancy in the Northeastern region. The committee told the Home ministry to focus more on the intrinsic factors than the extrinsic factors while handling the problem of insurgency in the region. The committee observed instead of opting for more stringent law to tame militants, process of development in the backward region should be expedited to marginalise the insurgents. The Home ministry officials told the standing committee of Parliament that possibilities were being explored to launch a joint operation to flush out militants taking shelter within the territory of Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. But the ministry of external affairs has sounded a note of concern considering that the geo-political situation is not in favour of going for a joint military operation against militants taking refuge in Bhutan. Regarding response towards the offer of talks with banned ULFA the Home ministry officials informed the committee that since the top leaders of the outfit have found safe havens on foreign soil, they were not willing to sit across negotiation table with the government. However, district-level leaders of the outfits have been sending feelers showing interest for talks with the government. But unless the top leaders come, the talks will not materialise. The home ministry officials further observed that the ULFA was fast losing ground among the masses in Assam. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 18, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 17: The Assam Tea Plantation Security Force (ATPS), which was created to provide security to the tea gardens of Assam, has failed to provide the desired results as majority of the gardens of the state have not availed the force. At this moment, Assam has more than 800 tea gardens but only 98 of these are using the force for their security. The need for a force specially to provide security to the tea gardens arose following large scale extortion by the insurgents from the tea gardens and abduction of a number of tea executives, however tea industry sources said here that as the personnel of the force have to be maintained by the gardens, most of the gardens are not in a position to avail the force. Sources said that all the expenditures of the personnel of the force including the salaries, money for weapons, training, uniform etc have to be paid by the gardens to use the force. The sources revealed that the gardens have no control over the recruitment and though a certain percentage of the posts of the force should be kept reserved for the persons of the tea community, this has not been followed. Sources said that as per the norms fixed by the government, each garden availing the force must keep at least 22 personnel of the force and under the present circumstances, most of the gardens are not in a position to do so as the last year was a bad year for the tea industry. They also revealed that the tea production in the state came down by about 35 million kgs last year due to the draught like condition, but the price of tea did not go up because of import of tea from Lanka. The consumption of tea has also not increased, sources added. Some of the gardens, particularly the gardens of the Barak Valley districts of the state have availed the services of the private security agencies, which is less expensive than using the Tea Plantation Security Force. But using such security would not serve the purpose as the persons of the private security agencies are not allowed to use firearms and they cannot be expected to take on the armed militants. (R Dutta Choudhury; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 18, 2000)

NALBARI, February 17: At least three police personnel including the officer-in-charge of the Ghograpar police station in Nalbari district were killed and three others were critically injured in an ambush by suspected United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) militants at Satra (Dalpar) village under Ghograpar police station at around 11 am today. According to information available, a police team led by the officer-in-charge of the Ghograpar police station went to conduct a raid in the villages including Kundurgaon, Narpara, Deharkuchi etc. this morning after receiving a tip off that some ULFA militants were taking shelter in these villages. The policemen were coming back in two vehicles-one 407 truck and a jeep, when the ULFA militants triggered off a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED), which was planted under a culvert. The 407 truck was completely damaged in the explosion and three policemen-officer-in-charge of Ghograpar police station Achyut Talukdar, sub-inspector Nipen Bora and driver Achyut Kalita died on the spot. Three of the critically injured persons— constable Kulendu Das, constable Ranjit Singh and homeguard Mohammad Ali, have been shifted to the Guwahati Medical College hospital for treatment. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 18, 2000)

NAGAON, February 18: The Nagaon police has accused the ULFA of gruesome killing of four abducted youths whose dead bodies were recovered from different parts of Nagaon district some time back. SN Sing, SP, Nagaon told mediapersons at a media seminar at Army camp recently that he had definite evidence of ULFA’s involvement in the macabre killings. Singh said one of the victims had amassed property worth Rs 30 lakh during last two years by extorting money from businessmen in the name of ULFA while another had amassed huge property and bungled UFLA money. Meanwhile, ULFA has accused the Nagaon police of its involvement in the recent kidnapping and killing of four persons. ULFA denied the organisation’s involvement in the murder. It may be mentioned here that Pradip Saha, Banawarilal both businessman, and Jayanta Saikia, a school teacher were kidnapped from Haiborgaon market area at the evening of February 3 while fourth victim Tiken Bora was kidnapped from Padumani area. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 19, 2000)

AGARTALA, February 19: Normal life was affected today in Dharmanagara subdivision of North Tripura district in response to a dawn-to-dusk bandh call given by major political parties in the state to protest the killing of a tea estate manager. The bandh was called by the ruling CPI(M), Opposition Congress and BJP in protest against the killing of the manager of Ganganagar tea estate DK Nath by insurgents on Friday. Police said the ultras stopped his car at gun point and tried to kidnap him. The rebels hit his wife and the driver when they tried to resist their attempt. They dragged the manager from his vehicle and shot him dead. (PTI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 20, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 20: Following a series of attacks on oil installations, particularly on pipelines, by the insurgents in different parts of Assam, a move is on to raise a special force to protect the Digboi refinery. Highly placed official sources said that at the initial stage, two companies of the special force would be raised soon and the Digboi refinery would bear the entire expenditure of the force including the salaries of the personnel. Sources pointed out that though personnel of the central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are posted in the refinery they can only work inside the refinery complex while the personnel of the special force would be able to guard the oil pipelines. Sources revealed that the force would work under the district superintendent of police of the concerned district. A memorandum of understanding between the Digboi refinery authorities and the Assam police in this regard would be signed soon to set the ball rolling for the creating of the force. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 21, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 20: Rabha National Security Force (RNSF), a militant group, has intensified its activities in different parts of Goalpara district. The militant group, which was formed few years back along the line of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), has reportedly been collecting funds from businessmen and common people having a soft corner for the organisation. Although RNSF is still in its nascent stage yet its present activities have forced security forces deployed in the area to step up vigilance. According to official sources, the outfit was constituted a few years back with the aim to liberate Rabha people from ‘Indian colonialism’ through an armed revolution. Since then, it has been mobilising the Rabha community to launch a vigorous movement. "Initially the militant group maintained a low profile due to lack of cadres. But from this year, RNSF has become active in Goalpara area", the sources stated. Commenting on the manpower of the militant group, they informed that RNSF has 20 armed cadres and 40 odd youths are undergoing training along the Assam-Meghalaya border under the leadership of Tiken Kurmi. "We came to know about the activities of the outfit following the arrest of Tiken, who was apprehended by army near Goalpara recently. Originally, Tiken was a Kachin-trained ULFA militant and later joined the RNSF," sources informed. They further disclosed that the militant group has cordial relations with the ULFA, but it is trying to establish links with other major militant outfits of the north-east to facilitate foreign links. Jabrang Rabha is the self-styled commander-in-chief (C-in-C) of RNSF and he supervises the entire fund collection and other activities of the organisation, sources, said adding recently Jabrang purchased one AK-47 rifle, six pistols and three steneguns from an agent of Dimapur as revealed by Tiken during questioning. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 21, 2000)

KOHIMA, February 20: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) today reiterated its commitment to peaceful resolution of the Naga political problem and charged security forces with violating ceasefire ground rules. "For the success of the peace process, the government of India and its machinery would have to have to have greater political will and equal respect towards the Naga people and the peace process," NSCN(IM) information and publicity wing said in a release, received here today. Security forces and NSCN(IM) were engaged in verbal duels for last one week, trading charges against each other of violating ceasefire ground rules after the armed forces asked the underground organisation to remove a check gate near the latter’s (NSCN-IM) central headquarters (CHQ). (PTI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 22, 2000)

SHILLONG. February 22: Suspected Achik National Volunteers Council (ANVC) militants, an extremist group of Meghalaya, had been detaining 60 coal laden trucks since Friday last at Borsora export route in West Khasi Hills District, about 100 km from here bordering Bangladesh, demanding Rs 10,000 per truck, official sources said today, reports PTI. The director-general of Police, BK Dey rushed to the spot yesterday along with police forces, the Chief Secretary IP Singh told PTI today. Singh said as the area was very remote, the details of the incident are yet to reach here. He said as soon as the police reached the spot, the militants fled to the jungle. (PTI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 23, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 22: Despite repeated assurances to the government of India, the government of the neighbouring country Bhutan is yet to take any direct action against the insurgent outfits who are operating from the jungles of Bhutan, police sources said. Sources revealed that at least six to seven camps of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) are still operating from Bhutan. Even the command headquarter and the general headquarter of the banned outfit as well as the 7 battalion is operating from the jungles of the neighbouring country, sources said. The 709 battalion of the ULFA is now located in Kalikhela area in Bhutan, while, the 28 brigade is now located in Myanmar, sources said. Police said that according to information available, the government of Bhutan, has of late, initiated some steps to put pressure on the militants camping in the country and started to take action against the Bhutanese nationals who were helping the insurgents. The trade licences of some of the Bhutanese traders, who supplied food staff to the insurgent, were also cancelled in recent months. Due to pressure in Bhutan as well as in the lower Assam districts, the ULFA has shifted its area of operation to the upper Assam districts. However sources admitted that despite heavy security presence, small groups of ULFA activists have managed to sneak into Assam from the camps in Bhutan and are trying to attack specific targets in Nalbari district. Sources said that top leaders of the ULFA including Samiran Sarma and Dristi Rajkhowa were involved in the recent attack on a police party near Ghograpar in Nalbari district in which three policemen including the officer-in-charge of the Ghograpar police station were killed and five others were injured. Police also admitted that the ULFA is trying to extort money from businessmen and even from a handful of government servants in Nalbari district. "But the problem is that very few persons, who received the extortion notices came to report the same to the police," sources said. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 23, 2000)

NEW DELHI, February 22: The Centre has directed the security forces deployed in Tripura to act ‘more aggressively’ against insurgents and decided to induct more battalions of central para military forces in the affected areas. A high-level central team comprising BSF director-general EN Rammohan and Joint Secretary (Northeast) in the home ministry, GK Pillai, who were in Tripura on a three-day visit last week, reviewed the law and order situation in the state. The team noted that while the overall situation in the state was under control, the rise in kidnappings as well as migration of non-tribal population from the Autonomous District Council area was a matter of concern. During discussions with the state government that one additional battalion of CRPF had been deployed in the state and was undergoing ‘pre-induction training.’ This would be deployed for counter-insurgency duties later this month. Another battalion of CRPF would be deployed in Tripura after elections in Manipur are over. With this the state will have 15 CRPF battalions (the highest ever). There was also likelihood of deployment of another two battalions in the state during the next six months and order for raising four additional BSF battalions to be approved. The team in its review decided that special task force and the special operations group would be operationalised within the next two weeks. Specific measures to improve actionable intelligence were also discussed and decided upon. It was also agreed that action would be stepped up against overground collaborators indulging in kidnappings and acting as informers for criminal groups. The team expressed concern over the rise of non-tribal militancy and urged the state government to curb it with a firm hand. It also noted that activities of ultra organisations like the NLFT and ATTF needed to be condemned by all as the worst sufferers were the tribals themselves. (UNI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 23, 2000)

AIZAWL, February 22: A plot to hijack a plane from Lengpui airport, near here, to force the release of NSCN(IM) leader T Muivah, in jail in Thailand, has been unearthed by Mizoram police, the Aizawl SP said on Tuesday. Muivah was arrested in Thailand recently and jailed for travelling with fake travel documents. Lengpui airport security officials arrested on February 15 K Tanju Rangan, who, posing as a director in the Civil Aviation ministry, claimed to have been sent by the ministry to inspect the airport, Aizawl SP, Zorammawia told PTI here. After interrogation by state police and intelligence officials from New Delhi it was found that Rangan’s identity card was fake, he said. Rangan also confessed during interrogation that he had been sent by NSCN(IM) men in Delhi to explore the possibility of hijacking a plane from Mizoram. ‘The alleged motive of the NSCN(IM) was to exchange hijacked passengers to seek the freedom of Muivah,’ Zorammawia said. (PTI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 23, 2000)

IMPHAL, February 22: Suspected armed Kuki militants took away ten sophisticated weapons including a carbine from security guards of a Congress candidate after overpowering them on Sunday night, official sources said on Monday, reports PTI. The sources said about 20 unidentified gunmen entered the house of Yangthong Haokip, Congress candidate from Saikul Assembly constituency, at Mantripukhri area, about eight km north of here. The militants then overpowered the security guards of the candidate and took away all the ten weapons. (PTI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 23, 2000)

SHILLONG, February 23: Meghalaya police have freed about 60 coal-laden trucks which were forcibly held by Achik National Volunteers Council (ANVC) at Borsora in West Khasi Hills district, official sources said. Police, during their operation yesterday, arrested two activists who were guarding the trucks with AK-47 rifles, the sources said, adding, combing operation has been launched to flush out militants from Borsora and its adjoining areas. Heavy reinforcements were rushed from Shillong and the activists were forced to flee to the nearby dense jungles, chief secretary JP Singh said. One CRPF company was requisitioned to aid the police, he added. Truckers said most of them had paid the amount demanded by the militants. However, one truck was burnt down and two others were pushed down big gorges when their owners could not meet the extortionists’ demand. They also claimed that extortion from coal truckers was common in the area for a long time. (PTI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 24, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 24 — The Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) agents of Pakistan in connivance with some local agents have pumped counterfeit notes into the markets in different places of the state, posing a threat to the country’s economy, official sources disclosed today. The sources said that the counterfeit notes Rs 500 and Rs 100 denominations are reportedly brought from Nepal across the border and pumped into the markets with the help of local agents. "These fake notes are available in Nagaon, Sivasagar and several districts of lower Assam which has become a matter of concern", the sources added. They also informed that the anti-social elements have started sending Pakistani and Arabian currencies in the bordering districts of lower Assam just to ‘create confusions’ among the people. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 25, 2000)

AGARTALA, February 24: Tribal guerrillas kidnapped six fishermen at gunpoint from Raishabari area under Tripura’s Dhalai district yesterday. Police sources said here today that the rebels abducted the fishermen when they were fishing at the Dambur Lake. A search was on to nab the militants. Meanwhile, in another incident security forces in a joint operation busted a militant hideout, and arrested 13 suspected militants from Longtharai range yesterday. (UNI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 25, 2000)

DIMAPUR, February 26: Security forces raided an office of outlawed outfit National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) and rescued six people who were held there for over two months in Nagaland, a senior Army official said today. Two AK-56 rifles, 85 rounds of ammunition, a mobile telephone, a colour television and 288 bottles of Indian manufactured foreign liquor and beer were also recovered from the NSCN" command office" at Sematila on Thursday, Brig DK Babbar told reporters. However, three NSCN(IM) cadres escaped from the building which was later identified as the organisation’s town command office." The NSCN(IM) information and publicity wing, in a release, alleged the security forces had " violated" the cease-fire ground rules by raiding their" town command office." (PTI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 26, 2000)

NIJ-BAHJANI, February 27: Assam PWD-cum-forest minister Nagen Sarma died in a bomb blast here today when suspected ULFA militants triggered off an improvised explosive device (IED) under his vehicle around 1.45 PM. Four others who were travelling with the minister also died in the explosion. The four other victims were Makhan Barpatra Gohain (personal assistant), Mintu Deka (driver), Sarat Baruah (PSO) and Mantu Baruah, principal of Honson School, Nalbari. Sarma (46), a senior leader of the ruling AGP and general secretary of the party, was on his way to the Dakhin Nalbari College, 10 km from the district headquarter town of Nalbari (and 51 km from Guwahati) to attend a meeting of the college when his car was blown off about 200 metres from the college. According to securitymen present on the spot, the assailants opened fire after triggering the blast. Security personnel escorting the minister returned the fire. Injuries, if any on the side of the militants, is not known as the assailants escaped from the spot. The minister’s convoy consisting of five vehicles coming from Nalbari had to traverse down a 1-km-long gravel road from Baglach Road Chowk on the Nalbari-Hajo Road to reach the college premises. With hardly 200 metres to the destination, fate willed otherwise. One of the bodies was flung 100 metres away. The minister’s lower portion of the body was blown off. While all the victims died on the spot, driver Mintu Deka succumbed to his injuries in the Nalbari Civil Hospital. The impact of the blast was such that the rear portion of the minister’s car was blown to bits, while it made a 10-metre crater on the road. Police had to collect the strewn parts of the vehicle later. The other vehicles of the convoy were not affected nor was anyone injured. The assailants planted the IED under the gravel road and triggered it off from a bamboo grove about 50 metres away. A bearer of the Nalbari College Dharani Sarma whose house is located nearby has been picked up by the police. When The Assam Tribune team reached the spot this evening the entire locality wore a deserted look with the local people having fled the area fearing police harassment. Sstate DGP PV Sumant, GM Srivastav, IGP (Operations), D Bora, DIG (CWR) and Nalbari deputy commissioner A Bhutani visited the spot even as a joint combing operation by the Army and the police was launched to nab the culprits.
ULFA claims responsibility: The banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has claimed responsibility for killing the minister and the four others. In a faxed statement, ULFA publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary termed the minister as a "traitor" but regretted the death of Pranabesh Barua and three others whom they described as innocent persons.
Fate willed it otherwise: Fate had willed it otherwise. Nagen Sarma, despite the opposition from the other office-bearers of the Dakhin Nalbari College Committee and the principal of the College, was insisting on holding the College Committee meeting today. Nagen Sarma was the president of the College Committee. The opposition to the proposal for holding the College Committee meeting stemmed from the fact that the Higher Secondary Final examination was due to start from tomorrow. But Sarma was not deterred by this argument. Rather, his supporters tried to interpret all the dissenting opinions on the issue as politically motivated, regretted Rumi Kalita, wife of Radhanath Kalita (36), the principal of Dakhin Nalbari College when this correspondent met her this evening at her father’s place at Janigog village, about 1 km west of the Nij-Bahjani Agnisala Satra, where the blast was detonated.
It was around 1.45 pm when the TV sets in and around Agnisala Satra, including Janigog, went off sparked by the deafening sound of a blast. The sound of the blast was followed by sounds of gun shots, which lasted for about two minutes. And when the people came to their senses, the news of the ambush then rendered them scared of the consequent security measures. Subsequently, police and Army personnel started their routine pick-up exercises in no time. Those who could manage to flee their homes were spared, and those who could not, like Promode Arya Baishya, the retired Head Master of Nityananda Girls’ High School, and a resident of Janigog, were picked up by the security forces. The entire Bahjani area starting from the Bagalch Road Chawk to Budrukuchi, Panchayat (Khadi) Chawk, Janigog, Nij-Bahjani etc, villages wore a deserted look this evening giving one the impression that a virtual curfew with a black-out was clamped by some dreaded forces. All lamps were put off, roads deserted, shops closed and doors of homesteads were shut. When the vehicle carrying this correspondent and his colleagues stopped in front of the residence of Golak Baishya at Janigog, Baishya and the female members seemingly panicked. It took a long persuasion to make them come out of the house. They were later joined by Rumi Kalita her mother Leela Arya Baishya. (Prasanta Baruah and Ajit Patowary; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 26, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 27: Four persons including an Army official and three hardcore militants of banned ULFA were killed in an encounter that took place at Bagariguri village under Jajori Police Station of Nagaon district late last night. Defence sources here informed that the dead Army official was Leiutenant Mayekar Narendra Atmaram while the slain militants were identified as Tridib Bhuyan, self-styled finance secretary of the banned outfit, Rajani Bordoloi of Bagariguri and Dhan Bora. On receipt of specific information that a group of hardcore militants were seen in the villages of Hemabari, Jajori and Bagariguri under Jajori Police Station, Armymen led by Lieutenant Mayekar Narendra Atmaram yesterday cordoned off the area sealing all escape routes for the ultras. The Army also intensified patrol along the National Highway section in the area at the same time. The Army then engaged in house-to-house search operation in the three villages after dusk. However, the search bore no fruit in Hemabari and Jajori villages. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 28, 2000)

IMPHAL, February 27 –One civilian and four activists of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, Khaplang faction (NSCN-K) were killed in separate encounters between Army and the rebels at Longpi village in Tamenglong district of Manipur since Thursday. Official sources quoting delayed reports said on Sunday that suspected NSCN(K) activists fired upon troops operating in Longpi village on Thursday killing a villager in the crossfire. In the follow-up operations launched in the nearby areas the next day, four hard-core activists of the NSCN(K) were killed, the sources said. (PTI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 28, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 28: Eight ULFA militants were killed in an encounter that took place between a gang of ULFA militants and security forces yesterday in Upper Arunachal Pradesh, police sources here said. However, details of the incident are not available with the sources. UNI adds: Another ULFA militant was killed in an encounter with Army near the Halem railway station of Sonitpur district yesterday. However, one of his associates managed to escape under the cover of darkness. The slain militant was identified as Samaihi Burman. About 500 grams of explosives, two metre cordex and some incriminating documents were recovered from the site, an official report said. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 29, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 28 — The state government has ordered an inquiry into the killings of the state PWD and forest minister, Nagen Sarma and four others by the ULFA at Nij Bahjani in Nalbari district on Sunday. According to official sources, the Lower Assam Commissioner, Naba Kumar Das will conduct the inquiry and submit the report within a month. Sources said that the inquiry would cover all aspects of the incident and action would be initiated immediately after it was submitted. Meanwhile, the state cabinet today reviewed the law-and-order situation in the aftermath of the killing of its senior minister and suggested stern action against the militants operating in the state. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 29, 2000)

NALBARI, February 28: A tense situation still prevails in Nalbari district following yesterday’s brutal killing of state’s forest and PWD minister Nagen Sarma and four other by the ULFA in Bahjani area. On the other hand, the 24-hour-long Nalbari district bandh called by the Nalbari district unit of the AGP from 5 am today paralysed normal life in the district. Meanwhile, deputy commissioner of Nalbari Ashish Bhutani is examining himself all the probabilities of security lapses which might have facilitated the ULFA operation in Bahjani area yesterday, even as the deputy commissioner himself and the Superintendent of Police, Nalbari, AJ Baruah claimed while talking to newsmen today that the Dakhin Nalbari College at Nij-Bahjani was not in the itinerary of Sarma yesterday. Rather, they said, the itinerary of the minister had it specifically written that the minister would attend a meeting scheduled to be held at Mukalmuwa at 2 pm yesterday, in connection with the annual conference of the Nalbari District Nagara naam Sanmilan. Though the Army had not launched any operation in the Bahjani area till this noon, the entire Bahjani area continued to wear a deserted look when this correspondent visited Bhaira, Khairapara, Budrukuchi, Nij-Bahjani, Janigog and Khudra Sankara etc. villages today. Most of the people of these villages have fled their homes fearing Army atrocities as a sequel to yesterday’s incident. However, Army pickets are posted in these villages following yesterday’s incident. The police and Army together, arrested seventeen youths from Bahjani area last evening. They were produced before the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) here today. The CJM sent the youths to judicial custody. (Ramen Kalita; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 29, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 28: The last rites of Assam forest and PWD minister Nagen Sarma, who was killed by the ULFA, along with four others, in an ambush at Nij Bahjani Agnisala Satra yesterday, was performed with full state honour at the Navagraha cremation ground here this afternoon. The body of the slain minister was taken to the pyre at around 3.35 pm after the Governor, the chief minister and his ministerial colleagues, MLAs, Chief Secretary and other senior civil servants, Advocate General of the state, the DGP of the state, senior Army officers and others, including the members of the Kasturba Trust, other social organisations and distinguished personalities of various fields of activities paid their last respect to the minister. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; February 29, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 29: In a fresh development, the Assam government by an order has transferred the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Nalbari district Ashis Bhutani and Apurba Jibon Barua respectively. Their transfer is attributed to the security lapses leading to the killing of state PWD and forest Minister Nagan Sarma in Nalbari district on Sunday. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; March 1, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 29: The state government has requested all newspapers and the media as a whole in the state not to publish statements/writings of banned extremist outfits which are destructive in nature and capable of misleading the public. In a official statement the state government said it had noted with concern that writings/statements purported to have been issued by banned extremist outfits were being reproduced/published in certain local newspapers. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; March 1, 2000)

GUWAHATI, February 29: The 12-hour statewide bandh called by the ruling Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) to protest against the killings of its general secretary and Assam minister for forest and PWD, Nagen Sarma, along with four others in a bomb blast at Nij Bahjani near Nalbari last Sunday, passed off peacefully on Tuesday without any major incident till the time of filing this report. The bandh, that began at 5 am this morning, was described by the AGP this evening as "total". Shops and business establishments in the state remained closed and most people preferred to remain indoors despite the call by the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), to defy the bandh call. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; March 1, 2000)

AGARTALA, February 29: Tribal guerrilla's killed a priest and abducted a youth while a villager was hacked to death by identified miscreants in Tripura on Monday night. Police sources said here on Tuesday that the security forces recovered the body of the priest Kajal Chakraborty from Killa in South Tripura. The victim was kidnapped by militants on February 24. (UNI; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; March 1, 2000)