Army starts operations in lower Asom too

Guwahati, Jan 15 (UNI) Army has started its counter-insurgency operations in lower Asom and arrested three Bodo militants, today.

According to official sources the three militants belonged to National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), which is having ceasefire with the Centre.

The Army sources said the militants were arrested from Bishmuri area of the Kokrajhar district while they were extorting money from the people violating the ceasefire guidelines.

Three pistols, one of them Italian made, were recovered from them along with thirty rounds of ammunition.

Meanwhile, the army has continued its 'Operation Clear' in entire upper Asom.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will also be arriving here tomorrow for a day-long trip to Dibrugarh.

Ahead of the Prime Minister's visit, the state government warned ULFA of stern action if it continues its reign of terror in the state.

It also hinted that the banned militant outfit might be acting at the dictates of some 'foreign power'.

'' We want peace in Asom. If the ULFA changes its tactics, we will pursue the ULFA in a manner that we have tried to avoid so far,'' National Security Advisor M K Narayanan told reporters accompanying the Prime Minister on his visit to Philippines for the India-ASEAN and East Asia Summits.

Dr Singh will arrive the state from Kolkata, where he will be reaching tonight from Phillipines for a night halt.

Meanwhile, security forces have not attached any weightage to ULFA's threat of targetting Congress.

''This is a joke. As they are on run, they try to delay the inevitable. What is new to the threat? They have always targetted the non-complying politicians,'' said a senior intelligence officer.

The Congress too is not giving much importance to ULFA's threat. ''We have lost two Prime Ministers already in the hands of terrorists. We are ready for more sacrifices. But we must defeat militancy in Asom,'' Congress state president Bhubaneshwar Kalita said.

UNI