Central security agencies have been directed to launch a major offensive against terror outfit NDFB(S), the terror outfit suspected to be behind the killing of 13 people in Assam’s Kokrajhar district.
Central security agencies have been directed to launch a major offensive against terror outfit NDFB(S), the terror outfit suspected to be behind the killing of 13 people in Assam’s Kokrajhar district.
In addition, the Army, Assam Rifles and the BSF have been specifically asked to rush additional reinforcements to the border areas in order to check movement of militants from neighbouring countries.
These were some of the decisions taken by national security adviser Ajit Doval, who following directions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took charge of the security situation in Assam and the Northeast. Mr Doval had a series of meetings with top security officials from the paramilitary, Army, home ministry and Central intelligence agencies to assess one of the biggest terror incidents in the Northeast since the Modi government assumed power at the Centre.
The Intelligence Bureau, in its preliminary report sent to the NSA, has said that the attack was carried out “by a group of 5-6 NDFB(S) militants who were heavily armed with AK-series weapons”.
“It is suspected that the attack was executed by a new module of NDFB(S) that sneaked into Assam from one of the training camps in Bhutan a few days ago,” the intelligence report stated.
Intelligence sources claimed that they had shared some information with the state police over a possible attack by Bodo militants.
Mr Doval also had a meeting with Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who was in the capital and discussed the follow-up action against the militants. Following this, the Army and state police were directed to launch a massive operation to hunt down the militants involved in the Kokrajhar incident even as one of their associates was killed on the spot by the security forces.
The NSA also briefed both the Prime Minister and had a detailed discussion with home minister Rajnath Singh on the incident. The PM and the home minister also spoke to the Assam chief minister.
It was by pure providence that an Army patrol party was in the vicinity and were able to stop a massacre from taking place when at least two suspected militants got down from a three-wheeler in the middle of a crowded market place in west Assam’s Kokrajhar town on Friday and started firing single shots into the crowd after exploding a grenade.
“The Army patrolling unit’s company commander immediately sensed what was happening and ordered his men to take positions and face the militants. After about 10 minutes of the firefight, one militant was shot down while the other escaped in the melee,” said a source with knowledge of the incident.
The firing itself bore the typical NDFB (Songbijit faction) signature style of exploding a grenade or an IED first followed by firing.
Mukesh Sohai, DGP, Assam Police told this newspaper: “It is still premature to draw conclusions but there are strong indications of the NDFB’s involvement.
There were photographs of the killed militant with other NDFB cadres and his mobile phone details and other documents recovered show contacts with NDFB elements.”
The police chief also added that this seems to be the handiwork of some new cadres of the outfit which has been on the backfoot for quite sometime due to sustained operations by the security forces.
A team of National Investigation Agency is also being rushed to Assam for further investigations. The case is expected to be transferred to the NIA in the next few days.
