Home Secretary to visit Assam today

Home Secretary GK Pillai is undertaking a two-day visit to Assam beginning tomorrow amid indications that the 'Black Widow' militant group may lay down arms and accept the Centre's offer for talks.

Home Secretary GK Pillai is undertaking a two-day visit to Assam beginning today amid indications that the 'Black Widow' militant group may lay down arms and accept the Centre's offer for talks.

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Pillai, who took over as Home Secretary last month, will spend a day at Haflong where he is expected to have meetings with leaders of Dimasa and Naga tribes.

Home Minister P Chidambaram had said that the Centre was ready to hold talks with any militant group that abjures violence and surrenders arms.

Militant group DHD-J alias 'Black Widow' had sometime back made a ceasefire offer to the Centre, which was rejected.

The group's leader Jewel Garlasso was arrested in Bangalore recently.

Chidambaram had asked Assam government to do everything to encourage DHD(J) to come to the negotiating table.

The Unified Command would also hold a meeting during Pillai's stay in Guwahati.