Militant leader gives up arms in Guwahati

Welcoming the militants to the mainstream, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, “I welcome all of you to the mainstream after giving up arms. We must all work together towards a peaceful and prosperous Assam. The government would do all it can to ensure that you are rehabilitated well.”

Published on: Feb 24, 2021, 04:03:34 IST

By Utpal Parashar, Guwahati

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Wanted militant Ingti Kathar Songbijit, along with 1,039 others, gave up militancy in Guwahati on Tuesday.

Welcoming the militants to the mainstream, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, “I welcome all of you to the mainstream after giving up arms. We must all work together towards a peaceful and prosperous Assam. The government would do all it can to ensure that you are rehabilitated well.”

Songbijit, is the chief of Peoples’ Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), a militant outfit from the Karbi Anglong region. He was earlier the commander-in-chief of the banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland.

The other militants belonged to five militant outfits in the Karbi Anglong — PDCK, Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), United Peoples Liberation Army (UPLA), Karbi Peoples’ Liberation Tiger (KPLT) and Karbi Liberation Front (KLF). The outfits, active in Karbi Anglong district of Assam, have been demanding a separate state for the people belonging to the Karbi tribe.

The five outfits are expected to sign a formal ceasefire agreement in presence of Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday, a senior official said on condition of anonymity.

The militants surrendered as many as 338 arms and over 11,000 rounds of ammunition, said Hiren Nath, IGP, special branch of Assam Police.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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