NSCN factions violating ceasefire agreement: Gamlin

Itanagar, Sep 4 (UNI) Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Jarbom Gamlin, while admitting that cadres of both the factions of NSCN are active in Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, said the outfits were violating the ceasefire agreement.

Talking to reporters here yesterday, the minister said the withdrawal of the Army, CRPF and other paramilitary forces from those districts had compounded the problem.

''Earlier, there was an Army brigade in Tirap, which was reduced to a few battalions, and with the withdrawal of these battalions, the infiltration of underground elements from across the border into those districts has increased,'' he said.

''The state government has written many times to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and the Union Home and Defence Ministers requesting for replacement for the Army battalions, but surprisingly even the Assam Rifles' strength is being reduced instead of replenishing the existing security personnel,'' he lamented.

Pointing out that both Arunachal and Assam were victims of insurgency, the Home Minister appealed to the mediapersons from Assam to crosscheck facts before publishing any news.

Replying to a question Mr Gamlin denied Chinese intrusion into Arunachal territory and said Army personnel from both countries go on patrolling in the border areas, though he called the ''difference in the perception of the line of control'' the root problem.

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