Security has been tightened in most places of the State ahead of the Republic Day celebrations on January 26 even as the militant outfits of the Northeastern region have called for a boycott of Republic Day celebrations on January 26.
Several militants outfits of the region including the anti-talk faction of Ulfa, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), Hynnewtrep National liberation Council (HNlC), Kamatapur liberation Organisation (KlO), National liberation Front of Twipra (NlFT) and the Coordination Committee (CorCom) — a joint forum of seven militant outfits in Manipur said this on Tuesday in a ‘solidarity statement’ issued to the media on Tuesday.
The statement said that the boycott will be effective from 1 am on January 26 till 5 pm on the day and called for a general strike during this period. The outfits, however, exempted media, medical services and religious activities from the purview of the bandh.
Meanwhile, the Guwahati police on Tuesday picked up 12 youth including a woman from different locations of the city for their alleged involvement with militant outfits. “We have arrested one youth who has been working for the Ulfa in the disguise of an electrician. He was recently contacted by Ulfa leader Dristi Rajkhowa to bring in Improvised Explosive Device (IED) from Goalpara,” said Senior Superintendent of Police, Guwahati, AP Tiwary.
“The youth Riju had already confessed his involvement. later, we picked up another youth from Goalpara on his lead,” said the SSP while adding that police have also picked up another 10 youth for their alleged involvement with the anti-talk faction of the NDFB militants. “We are taking all precautionary measures to stop any possibility of any subversive activities. Secutrity arrangements have been tightened and our officers have been asked to keep strict vigil in the run up to the Republic Day,” said a senior official of the Assam police.
It may be mentioned here that the newly appointed Assam DGP Khagen Sarma had recently said that the militant outfits like the Ulfa, NDFB and KlO are trying to carry out major subversive activities like serial blasts across the State.