Assam govt to ban adivasi militant outfits

Guwahati, Dec 15 (UNI) Assam's previously little-known militant outfit Adivasi National Liberation Army(ANLA) is likely to be banned soon, following bloody strikes in the recent weeks, the deadliest being the Rajdhani Express blast on Thursday.

State government spokesperson and Cabinet minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sharma here today said the government was considering to declare the ANLA a banned outfit. He informed that the police and intelligence agencies have details of the cadre strength and training camps of the outfit and it could be banned very soon.

The outfit, formed by tea plantation workers, had been demanding better facilities and more rights for its community, which had migrated to Assam during the British Raj. It also wants the inclusion of the tea tribes in the Scheduled Tribe list.

The 'commander' of ANLA is David Tirkey and the outfit is known to enjoy patronage of the ULFA and NSCN. Tirkey operates from Jharkhand, as was stated by the outfit's 'deputy commander' Raj Munda, who was arrested in Guwahati on December 10.

Besides the blast in the Rajdhani Express, which left five dead, the outfit had triggered two minor blasts targeting other passenger trains this month itself. Dr Sharma said the ANLA was also suspected to be involved in the November 24 violence in Guwahati, when adivasi protestors had clashed with locals, in which one person was killed and over 250 injured.

He said investigation into the clashes have revealed that it was preplanned to a certain extent and some adivasi youths was prepared for violence. Besides, the general adivasi youths, ANLA elements were also likely involved in provoking the clash, the spokesperson added.

UNI