Bhutan not a place of attraction for ultras: Thinley

Guwahati, Feb 25 (PTI) Voicing concern over the rise ofmilitant activities on the Assam-Bhutan border, BhutanesePrime Minister L Jigme Y Thinley today underlined the need forsteps to contain them.

Thinley also asserted that Bhutan will never allow anymilitant group to set up its camps on its soil and made itclear that there were no North East militant hideouts in thecountry since 2003.

"Bhutan will not allow any militant groups to set upcamps within the country," he said denying reports of theirexistence in the Himalayan kingdom.

Thinley, who was speaking to reporters at the sidelinesof a meeting with top government, army and police officials atthe Gopinath Bordoloi international airport here, said that hewas concerned about the militant activities on theAssam-Bhutan border and called for steps to contain them.

He said there were no hideouts of North East-basedmilitant groups in Bhutan after ''Operation All Clear'' bysecurity forces in 2003.

The meeting decided to step up vigilance along the borderto prevent any kind of violence and border crime, officialsources said.

On February 20, a convoy of Bhutan police personnel wereambushed at Serpang along the border in which one securitymanwas injured, while seven volunteers of World Wildlife Fund fornature were recently kidnapped and subsequently released.

Police suspect the involvement of anti-talk faction ofNational Democratic Front of Bodoland in both incidents. PTISB KK