NC Hills :

Apr. 13: Army personnel nab one Luto Dimasa and recover one AK-56 series rifle from him, sources said that Luto Dimasa is a member of the militant organisation DHD (J).

DHD (J) attacks convoy of Central Election Observer: Within hours of unleashing a vicious attack on the convoy of Central Election Observer, Mr. Arun Ch. Singh, DHD (J) once again inflicted a blanket ban on all kind of election activities likely to be carried out by Congress in NC Hills organisation.

Further the militant organization decided to put an embargo on the ongoing work of the East – West Corridor and threatened to target Congress workers carrying out party activities in the district.

Issuing a stern warning to the State Government, the DHD (J) made it clear that unless its three point charter of demands is reviewed with gravity, the organisation will carry out large scale carnage in the district targeting the Congress rank and file along with the employees engaged in renovation work of the East- West Corridor and railway gauge conversion.

In a message to the State Government, Daniel Dimasa, Deputy Commander of the DHD (J) armed wing, reiterating some earlier demands of the outfit, mentioned that the State Government will have to rename the NC Hills to ‘Dima Hachaw Raji’, further the State Government will have to assure the granting of the proposed autonomous state for the twin hill districts of Assam under article 244 (A) of the Indian Constitution encompassing NC Hills.

It may be mentioned that since 10th March – 2008, DHD (J) has carried out several attacks on the employees engaged in railway gauge conversion and East- West Corridor work, killing at least twenty three persons in the process, after a period of gruesome butchery, work on both the projects had to be abandoned.

Presently, the government is carrying on the construction work of East West Corridor and gauge conversion under extreme security arrangement. DHD (J) also put a halt on the movement of all passenger and goods trains running between Lumding and Badorpur and threatened that unless its demands are fulfilled the dictum will stay in force.

Mr. Daniel Dimasa in his message has said that his organisation will carry out subversive activities parallel to the ones seen during the period from 10th to 16th March – 2008, “DHD (J) attacks may result in killing of many innocent people for which the State Government will remain solely responsible,” Mr. Daniel Dimasa mentioned.

The DHD (J) apex leader opined that if the proposed autonomous state encircling NC Hills is created, all ethnic tribes residing in the district will enjoy equal economic and political privileges.

It may be mentioned that DHD (J) militants fired at the convoy of Central Election Observer for NC Hills at Gunjung locality. The high profile Central Government officer made a providential escape as his bullet proof vehicle saved him from certain death. One of the four wheelers which was a part of the convoy was severely damaged in the fierce firing.

Haflong Apr. 10:

A CRPF man was killed and 17 passengers were injured when Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel) ultras opened fire at a running train at Wadrengdisa station in Assam’s North Cachar Hills district on April 10.

The DHJ ultras, armed with automatic weapons, opened fire at the Badarpur-Lumding Barak Express as it left the Wadrengdisa station under Maibong police station.

The incident came after serial blasts in Assam in which 10 people were killed. Complete anarchy reigns in the hills district after Chief Executive Member (CEM) Mohit Hojai had been found absconding since he made an alleged payment of Rs one crore to the same militant group to buy arms.

Karbi Anglong :

Diphu Apr. 03 :

Stepping-up its anti-insurgency operation ahead of the general election, Indian Army killed one Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front activist in Mondor village situated in the Dolamara locality of Santipour Police Station on April 03, at around 11:30 am. The slain Karbi militant was identified as Ciddhi Phangcho (29) and army personnel recovered a 9mm Chinese made pistol along with a magazine from the slain militant. An angry mob takes to vandalism

In another development, the 44- Assam Rifles presently operating in the district apprehended two suspected KLNLF members from a place falling within the Karbi Anglong – Nagoan border. The nabbed militants were identified as Mohon Lekthe (27) and Joy Rongphar (29).

Meanwhile, intensified operations in and around the Diphu area yielded success when two high profile militants belonging to the Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front were arrested from Kakoti Ronghang village near Birola locality which is in the vicinity of the town.

While conducting search operations, members of the Rajputana Rifles confronted the militants at around 2:45 pm Army personnel managed to neutralise the ultras after a short encounter, the arrested Karbi militants were identified as S.S. Corporals Joysing and Babu Rongpi. One foreign made pistol, 10 rounds of AK series ammunition and some 303 ammunitions, few extortion notes and some documents suggesting anti- government propaganda were recovered from the ultras.

Stone-quarry owner shot dead by KLNLF at Kachi-Tora

Pre-election scenario turning perilous

After the gruesome assassination of Mr. Joysing Kro, President, Borkok PCC and a veteran Congress leader by unidentified gunmen, armed Karbi militants, arguably KLNLF cadres stuck during the morning hours of Mar. 18 at a stone quarry at Kachi-Tora, located in the vicinity of Lengri Tea-estate along the Assam- Nagaland border. Mothers voting for a better tomorrow

The militants shot dead the lessee of the quarry, Mr. Naba Basumatary besides kidnapping two more employees of the pit. Police and other sources revealed that, a well trained militant group armed with sophisticated weapons swooped inside the quarry campus. After creating havoc for some time, the ultras set ablaze a loaded truck and they forcefully took Naba Basumatary and other two workers of the pit along with them while, anticipating serious peril, other workers left the area to safer places.

The two abducted workers, Milaram Timung and Joysing Bey were released later by the ultras. Meanwhile Naba Basumatary was shot dead by the Karbi militants who preferred to pump a few rounds of bullets in his body. The slain body of Naba Basumatary was left behind in a barren place by the ultras which was later discovered by local police.

Inadequate security arrangement, particularly at vulnerable places is fast becoming a serious cause of concern for the district administration, some attempts are being made to plug the gaps but that seems derisory at this point of time.

Diphu, Apr. 12:

Two powerful IEDs were successfully detonated by suspected KLNLF cadres on Apr. 12 at a point between Diphu and Nilalong railway station and in Hathi camp area 4km. from Diphu railway station, in the railway tract in Guwahati –Dibrugarh section, damaging almost 150 meters of rail track. The tail end of the Dibrugarh bound Kamrup Express was touched by the first explosion. However, the train managed to limp into Diphu station at around 9.30 pm. A big crater has been formed due to the impact of the blast.

The second explosion took place at a distance of 4 kms from Diphu station at around10.10 pm, the explosion lifted the escort engine into the air while it was on its return journey from Rongapahar, the IED was charged with a parallel circuit of 18nos of 12 volt batteries from a distance of about 30 meters. The Superintendent. of police Karbi Anglong district said that fail proof security has been arranged to protect the poll personnel who are living in Diphu, Bokajan and Hamren which are ultra sensitive polling stations. This will enable them to conduct the elections.

Diphu Apr. 14:

Ratan Engti’s residence at Valley View area of Diphu town came under a grenade attack at around 7:15 PM on Apr. 14, no casualties were reported. Within 24 hours unidentified ultras have carried out a dual attack on the residence of Mr. Engti. Earlier, a group of militants armed up to the teeth attacked and partly destroyed the Rongbong Ghat, the country residence of Mr. Ratan Engti Ex-Vice Chairman, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC). According to Mr. Engti the militants surrounded the house and from the side of the main entrance launched a grenade which detonated and caused panic and disorder in the dead of the night and sprayed bullets at random.

Police with additional forces from Bokajan and Diphu reached the spot and initiated official action. No member of Mr. Engti’s house has received any injury.

Apr. 15:

The Chowkihola residence of Mr. Jiren Ingti came under grenade attack on April 14 night at around 9:30 PM , however no one was injured in the incident.

The incidents cited above are a clear indication that all is not well in the North Cachar Hills district of Assam. The district is beset with violence and the time of elections only aggravate a problem that has already taken root in the community itself. It is therefore understandable why the people from this part of Assam look upon the times of elections with apprehension and fear. It seems like, for the people of this district, elections are synonomous with death, terror and violence.