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Over 7,200 insurgents surrendered arms since May 2021: Assam CM
Assam director general police (DGP) Gyanendra Pratap Singh said 1,750 firearms were surrendered by various insurgent groups in various parts of Assam since May 2021 and 400 out of these were highly advanced weapons.
Stating that peace and stability are back in Assam and the region, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that over 7,200 insurgents have given up arms and returned to the mainstream in the state since May 2021.
Sarma was speaking at an arms laydown ceremony at the District Sports Association Ground at Haflong in Dima Hasao district, where 181 cadres of the insurgent group Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) pledged to return to the mainstream.
Addressing the event, Sarma said that in the last three years, more than 50 youths from the Dima Hasao district succeeded in the Assam civil examination and many others got jobs in police and other government departments.
“I would request the Dima Hasao district council to arrange coaching for them (surrendered youths). We will give them jobs in police and other departments,” the chief minister said.
He expressed hope the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) would also one day drop guns and work towards the growth and development of Assam.
Assam director general police (DGP) Gyanendra Pratap Singh said that for the first time since 1990, no militant activities have been witnessed in Assam this year.
“Due to rising insurgency Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and Disturbed Area Act were imposed in Assam in 1990 and 2023 is the first year since that when there was no extortion, kidnap or casualty due to militancy,” Singh said.
According to the DGP, 1,750 firearms were surrendered by various insurgent groups in Assam since May 2021 and 400 out of these were highly advanced weapons.
At the event, Singh requested the youths who have surrendered their arms, not to be influenced that would lead them back to insurgency.
“Some forces don’t like peace and they will try to pull these youths back to militancy. I would request the youths to avoid if such calls come,” Singh added.
Cabinet minister Nandita Gorlosa, who was also present at the event, said that a similar arms-laying ceremony was held at the same field in October 2009, but things did not change much. She anticipated that Saturday’s ceremony would be the last of its kind.
“In the last three decades, many families have lost their members due to militancy. Today I am happy and as a resident of Dima Hasao, I want this to be the last day when youths are handling arms,” she said.
She further requested the chief minister develop industries in the district to generate more employment.
Debolal Gorlosa, Dima Hasao district council chief executive member, said that there were days when this district was extremely backward but things have changed in recent years. The change attracted the youths to return home.
The chief minister asked the district council to give 200 bighas (nearly 124 acres) of land near Haflong town so that they could make a medical college in Dima Hasao.
