Operation against ULFA on

Guwahati, Jan 10 (UNI) Simultaneous army operation have started in Asom, Arunachal and Meghalaya as the government vowed to finish the militant group which massacred 61 people in the past one week.

All out strikes against the ULFA got the green signal from the government last night, with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today vowing no respite till the militants were wiped out.

While no fresh incidents were reported from Upper Asom since last night, the venue of the outfit's strikes appeared to have shifted to capital Guwahati. Three blasts took place in the city in the last two days while as many ULFA militants were also arrested in Udalguri today.

The banned outfit will face 'long and uninterrupted' operation in the state, as well as Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, with top brass looking after internal security in the country to meet in New Delhi on Friday to draw out a long ranged operation.

However, the visits and repeated assurances by the leaders to the migrant workers from Bihar have failed to pacify their fears. Mass exodus of Hindi-speaking labourers was reported from across the state, though official sources refused to confirm it.

Meanwhile, 20 para-military companies have reached Upper Asom, dispatched by the Centre on Monday, and the deployment has started.

The total strength has now reached 140 companies, roughly about 12,000 jawans. Another batch of ten companies are being sent. The strategy is to use para-military forces and Asom Police as ground force, leaving Army for more specific strike force. There are already 70,000 personnel drawn from the Army, state police and para-military forces in the state.

The Army, however,did not name the fresh operation but just announced it as a continuation of 'Operation Rhino-II', launched last year. The army has reportedly extracted a commitment from Asom Government that it would not put a spanner in the operation.

Mr Gogoi today asserted that anti-ULFA operations would continue till it was wiped out. He said, ''We had detailed discussion with the Army top brass, the Defence minister and Defence Secretary. We have sorted out the details. It will be an uninterrupted operation.'' MORE UNI