STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The security scenario in Assam improved during 2020, reflects a latest report of MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs). The Centre's data indicate that only 15 insurgency-related incidents were reported from across Assam in 2020 – which is the lowest since 1999, when 451 such incidents were reported.
During 2020, five extremists died in encounters, 79 arrested, and 2,616 others surrendered. Some of the surrendered militants also handed over 421 firearms to the administration while security forces recovered 73 other firearms. The MHA report also states that two civilians were killed and two others were kidnapped that year.
On January 23, 2020, a total of 644 cadres surrendered their arms. During that surrender ceremony in Guwahati, 301 militants were from the 'National Liberation Front of Bengali'; 178 from 'Adivasi Dragon Fighters'; 87 from 'National Santhal Liberation Army'; 50 from ULFA-I; 13 from 'Rava National Liberation Front'; eight from the NDFB; six from the KLO; and one from the 'Communist Party of India/Maoist'.
That year, a significant development took place to resolve the 50-year old Bodo crisis. On January 27, 2020, a 'Memorandum of Settlement' was signed by the Union government with NDFB (Progressive), NDFB (Ranjan Daimary), NDFB (Saoraigwra), UBPO (United Bodo People's Organization) and ABSU (All Bodo Students' Union) in New Delhi. Following this settlement, a total of 1,615 NDFB cadres surrendered their arms on January 30, 2020. These groups disbanded themselves on March 9 and 10, 2020.
On the other hand in 2016, a total of 75 insurgency-related incidents took place when 51 extremists were killed; and 366 others were arrested. Besides, 29 civilians were killed and 14 others were kidnapped. Moreover, four security personnel also died in such incidents during that year.
In March 2018, the Centre had also sanctioned 10 additional IRBs (India Reserve Battalions) for the Northeast region with two battalions each for Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura.