GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister has declared that over the past 17 months, 7,229 insurgents in the state have renounced violence and joined the mainstream since May 2021.
At an event held in Guwahati on Sunday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed the stats, adding that his government is upbeat about helping the surrendered members of insurgent groups.
In a move to assimilate the surrendered cadres into the society, the Assam government also rolled out a package of Rs 47 crore benefits for 1,181 surrendered Adivasi insurgents at the do. Detailing the assistance, Chief Minister Sarma said that it includes ₹4 lakh for each of the insurgents.
“We have arranged for a fixed deposit for each individual, valid for the next four years. We’ve also partnered with the State Bank of India to facilitate easy loans without any mortgages against this deposit,” the Chief Minister elaborated.
Interestingly, the government’s move comes on the backdrop of a recent unsettling event that saw the execution of two members of the United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent) faction, under suspicion of espionage. The group’s statement on October 3 confirms the incident, noting the execution occurred in Myanmar, where the outfit is believed to operate.
Director General of Police, GP Singh, in response to the news, urged Assam’s youth to refrain from affiliating with insurgent groups. Echoing this sentiment, an insurgent from Kokapothar renounced his association with the outfit, laying down his weapons to join mainstream society on September 27.
Additionlly, a joint operation between Assam Rifles and Arunachal Pradesh police on October 2 apprehended two members of the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) in Tirap, Arunachal Pradesh.
The operation, based on specific intelligence, also yielded the recovery of two pistols. The Army later confirmed this on a popular micro-blogging website, adding that another joint operation in collaboration with Nagaland police resulted in the capture of an NSCN-K(Rebel) cadre in Nagaland’s Mon district.
