NE: Regional coordination to fight militancy

Guwahati, Jun 7: Regional coordination seems to be the latest strategy of the North East states to tackle militancy in the region.

The states had been sharing intelligence inputs to thwart militant activities. But the peculiar geographical terrain of the region, with dense forests and mountains serving as borders between the states rather than man-erected posts, help the militants to escape into safe territory if one of the states intensifies operations against them.

The Director General of Police (DGPs) of Asom, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya had met at the police headquarters here earlier in the week to review the counter-insurgency mechanism in the region.

The particulars of the meeting were not disclosed to the media.Asom DGP R N Mathur said, ''We cannot disclose the particulars.

It was a departmental meeting.'' However, broad hints were dropped of regional cooperation as ULFA was known to use other states' territories for geographical advantage.

The GOC of the 4 Corps, IGPs of the four states and top army officials based in Asom also attended the meeting.

Reports had suggested that the army would launch a massive anti-insurgency operation in the state after the recent spurt in violence, especially by the ULFA.

As Asom shares boundaries with the three other states whose top police officials attended the recent meeting, it is believed that the operations would be conducted in coordination with them.

Army sources had hinted that massive counter-insurgency operations would be launched in the state after the monsoons, probably between November to January.

UNI