HT Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, April 28: With an objective to give peace a chance in insurgency hit Tirap & Longding district and to alleviate anti-social activities such as extortion, kidnapping and rebel recruitments among others the Khonsa Battalion of Assam Rifles conducted a security meeting coordination at Khonsa, Tirap district on Wednesday along with Tirap Police & State administration.
In the security meeting chaired by Colonel Amit Kumar Das, SM, Commandant of Khonsa Battalion, the village appointments were asked for their proactive involvement and cooperation to end the menace of insurgency by various NSCN Factions active in the Tirap & Longding district. The security meeting was attended by 120 Gaon Burahs & Rajas from villages of Tirap & Longding district.
Apprising the general situation in the region the Commandant sought active involvement & cooperation of village authorities to ensure unlawful activities of the insurgents including extortion, kidnapping, insurgents recruitment & other nefarious activities are further reduced for safety and security and also for peace to prevail.
The Commandant thanked the village appointments for providing timely information of insurgents resulting in a number of successful operations in the past one year.
He also complimented the village appointments for their wholehearted support in ensuring 63 insurgents who surrendered and joined the mainstream from both the districts and ensuring zero recruitment of youths in insurgent factions from Tirap & Longding districts.
The villagers were advised not to allow any civilian to accompany or guide any insurgents groups or stay in the hideout of insurgents as the same will endanger their lives during operations by the security forces, they were told to immediately inform security forces & Police of any forceful action by insurgents so that operations can be planned with due deliberations.
The recently announced Underground Surrender Police by the state government was apprised to the gathering and village appointments promised that they will ensure all native insurgents join mainstream.
During the meeting, the growing trend of protests against insurgents were enumerated and examples of protest in Khonsa, Noglo, Lahu, Kapu, Pullung, Longphong and Longkhaw (Longding) were given and the strength in unity of villagers was brought to the fore. The recent infiltration by a group of NSCN IM cadres in Tirap district was discussed and due to the timely information provided by the villagers, Security Forces were able to neutralise cadres and apprehend one along with huge quantity of arms and ammunition.
Various civic action initiatives and employment opportunities available for the youth were apprised to the village appointments. The security meet received an overwhelming response and all the attendees unanimously decided non-cooperation for collection of extortion money by underground groups and stand united against the menace of insurgency by various factions of NSCN to enable peace to prevail in Tirap & Longding district.
