Centre extends UPDS ceasefire by six months

New Delhi, Feb 22 (UNI) The Centre has extended the ceasefire with the Assam's Karbi Anglong-based militant outfit United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) for another six months till July 31, 2008.

According to offical sources, the ceasefire expired on January 31 this year, but the Government was not keen on extending it.

However, the extension agreement was finally signed here last evening.

The agreement was signed by Joint Secretary (Internal Security) A K Goyal and JS (North East) Navin Verma for the Centre, Assam's Home Commissioner Rajiv Bora, Director General of Police R N Mathur and Inspector General (Special) Kagen Sarma for the state government and Uzru Mukrong and F S Mohan Kathar on behalf of the UPDS.

Meanwhile the Centre is taking measures to curb the activities of a number of other militnt outfits, who in recent times, were engaged in kidnapping for ransom.

In this connection, it has asked the state governemnt to provide more information about the Black Widow group -- asplinter group from Dima Halam Daogah (DHD- Jewel), which is actively involved in kidnapping important persons for ransom.

The second one is the Kokrajhar-based All Assam Adivasi National Liberation Army (AAANLA).

Though a preliminary round of talks were already held with senior state officials here yesterday but the Centre would wait for a final report from the Assam government before taking a final decision whether to impose a ban on these militant outfits or not, the sources added.

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