Bogged down by frequent communal violence, a section of radical forces from among Bengali-speaking Muslims have started arming themselves in trouble-torn Bodoland Territorial Council of Western Assam.
Disclosing that arms and ammunition are procured from Siliguri area of West Bengal, authoritative security sources told this newspaper that there are indications that these youth may soon float a new armed group in BTC.
Though the initiative is at a nascent stage, security sources, however, felt underestimating them would be a blunder. Indicating that the home ministry has also been alerted about this alarming development, security sources clarified that support to this initiative was coming from within the country.
Stressing the need for sustained counter-insurgency operations in BTC area, security sources, however, said the ongoing drive to recover illegal weapons in BTC has been yielding results so far with security forces recovering 53 arms, including 12 AK series rifles, 185 rounds of ammunition, including 16 grenades, since July this year.
Asserting that the arms recoveries were merely the tip of an iceberg, security sources claimed that many more illegal arms still find their way into the hands of Bodo rebels associated with various pro-talks and anti-talks factions of the NDFB.
Security sources said a number of ex-BLT cadres also have illegal arms but to disarm them security forces should be allowed to carry forward sustained counter-insurgency operations. Regretting the practice of suspending counter-insurgency operations soon after peace is restored, security sources said confiscation of illegal arms is the only way to restore lasting peace in the BTC. Admitting that intervention of Assam governor J.B. Patnaik has given the security forces more teeth, the sources said the governor has also directed the government to route all files relating to Bodoland Territorial Area district through Raj Bhavan.
The governor happens to be the constitutional head of BTC, an autonomous administrative unit constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, covering an area of 8,795 sq km.