138 militants surrender in Assam

By Barun Das Gupta

GUWAHATI, JAN. 26. As many as 138 militants surrendered with their arms before the Assam Governor, Lt.-Gen.(retd.) S.K. Sinha, at a Republic Day function here this morning.

Of them, 123 belonged to United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), nine to the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), two to the Rabha National Security Force (RNSF) and four to the Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam (MULTA).

The people totally rejected the call given by the ULFA and several other militant outfits in the region to boycott the Republic Day celebrations. For the first time on a Republic Day, private buses plied, vehicular traffic was normal and shops were open.

The Governor, who took the salute, recounted the success achieved by the Government in curbing insurgency. He said the ULFA had massacred over 100 Hindi-speaking people last year at the behest of Pakistan's ISI so that the ``land of panicky people leaving the State'' could be occupied by illegal migrants.

PTI reports:

Tripura Governor's appeal

A report from Agartala said The Tripura Governor, Lt. Gen. (retd.) K.M. Seth, appealed to the insurgents to shun violence and join the mainstream to help in building a prosperous State. ``The insurgents are misguided youth, who are on the wrong track which will lead them nowhere except to self-destruction'' as nothing could be achieved by violence, Mr. Seth said in a Republic Day message.

He said subversive elements were trying to break the bonds of amity between tribals and non-tribals and the people should thwart their designs collectively.

Sikkim - a role model

In Gangtok, the Sikkim Governor, Chaudhury Randhir Singh, unfurled the national flag and took the salute at a colourful marchpast at the Paljor stadium.

Four platoons of the Sikkim armed police, one platoon each of the Central Industrial Security Force, the state police and homeguards took part in the marchpast. Some defence equipment was also on display.

In his message, the Governor lauded the people of Sikkim for making the hill State a `role model' in the country for communal harmony.

Later, Mr. Singh made the first local telephone call to Siliguri.

The Chief Minister, Mr. Pawan Chamling, in a message earlier, called upon the people to join hands to evolve a `national spirit and sense of togetherness'.

Insurgency in Arunachal

In Itanagar, the Arunachal Pradesh Governor, Mr. Arvind Dave, unfurled the tricolour at the Indira Gandhi parade ground and took the salute at a marchpast presented by the police, the CRPF, the NCC, scouts and guides and school children. He said the State was known as an island of peace but insurgency in Tirap and Changlang districts bordering Myanmar and Nagaland alarmed the administration.

He urged the people to be more vigilant against divisive forces and not to harbour them at any cost.

`Protect peace in Mizo'

In Aizawl, the Mizoram Chief Minister, Mr. Zoramthanga, hoisted the national flag and asked the people to protect the peace in the State. He addressed the people at the R- Day function as the Governor, Mr. Ved Prakash Marwah, who is also in charge of Manipur, is in Imphal.

Militants' accomplices warned

In Kohima, the Nagaland Governor, Mr. O.P. Sharma, warned that those harbouring militants in the State would have to face serious consequences. Those serving as ``support links'' for militant outfits were accomplices in crimes like murder and extortion and would have to face the consequences, he said during the Republic Day function at the local ground.

Armed groups of militants and anti-social elements who had taken to violence and crime continued to jeopardise the ``fragile peace'' prevailing in the State, he added.

Four militants killed in Karbi Anglong

GUWAHATI, JAN. 26. Four ultras, two belonging to the NSCN and two others to the NDFB, were killed in separate incidents today as the 48-hour Karbi Anglong district bandh, sponsored by the UPDS, continued to affect life since Thursday, while the Republic Day boycott call given by the banned ULFA and the NDFB failed to evoke any response in Assam.

Official sources here today said that a five-member group of NSCN ultras exchanged fire with policemen who killed two of them at the Gorompani Reserve Forest in the Bokanjan police station area this morning.

The police apprehended one of them while the two others fled.

Army troops shot two hardcore NDBF ultras to death in Darrang district today.

- PTI

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