Source: The Sangai Express / PTI
New Delhi, January 08:
With ULFA violence taking a heavy toll, the Centre today rushed 2,000 additional para-military personnel to strife-torn Assam to carry out operations against
the militants.
Sources said a decision to deploy 20 companies of Central forces was taken after Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil discussed the situation with his Minister of State Sriprakash Jaiswal, who had undertaken a day-long visit of the affected areas in Assam yesterday.
Patil was also briefed by Union Home Secretary VK Duggal separately.
The Army has also "intensified" operations against ULFA insurgents in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Nalbari and some other areas in Upper Assam deploying more than 10,000 troops, sources said.
Defence Minister AK Antony chaired a high-level meeting here of three services Chiefs and Defence Secretary and took stock of the situation.
Antony will visit Assam tomorrow with Army Chief Gen J J Singh and hold a meeting at Tazpur, where top commanders of the 4, Corp tasked with conducting anti-insurgent operations, would be present.
Sources in the MHA said a meeting of Assam Chief Secretary and Director General of Police has been convened by the Centre here on January 12. The meeting comes in the wake of the recent killings of a large number of non-Assamese migrant labourers by ULFA in the state.
After his meeting with the Home Minister, Jaiswal told reporters that Assam would not be allowed to face any shortage of forces.
Describing the attacks as ULFA's signs of desperation, he said that the National Games in Assam would not be derailed because of ULFA threat.