Assam: Huge Cache of Arms & Ammunition Seized in BTAD ahead of Polls

Udalguri, March 17, 2020:

In the midst of the drive for a weapons-free Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), a huge cache of arms and ammunition has been recovered in the Council's Udalguri district. The recovery was made earlier today in Bandorguri in Udalguri district of Assam.

The local authorities had launched an operation based on secret information they had received about the presence of illegal arms and ammunition in the region. At the end of the opration, the security personnel had seized an AK-57 rifle along with magazines, 12 rounds of live bullets, a rocket launcher, 40 high-capacity grenades, and 111 detonators.

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The local police, after making the recovery, stated that efforts are on to maintain peace and tranquility in the region in the lead-up to the polls on April 4.

This recovery has been made amid murmurs of violence and unrest in the BTAD region in Assam in the lead-up to the ensuing polls. Moreover, there have been reports that threats made to influence voter behavior have been made on social media.

Decrying this, United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) leader Pramod Boro has alleged coercion in certain parts and demanded the authorities to take stringent action against certain groups which are allegedly using muscle-power in a bid to influence the election.

Weighing in on the rumours of election candidates distributing money to potential voters, Boro said, “We have heard that some people are distributing money in ambulances, and misleading people; threatening people. There are audio recordings distributed via WhatsApp that reveal people saying that there should be violence. Strong action should be taken against it.” The UPPL leader also said that the Election commission must ensure that these activities aimed at causing unrest are stopped, and take immediate action against the culprits.

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Moreover, the discovery of arms in the wake of the signing of the tripartite Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) treaty in the region, that was aimed at ending the armed insurgency in Assam, has set the alarm bells ringing again. In the wake of the signing of the Accord, the militants of the feared National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) decided to disband all the factions, with their sights set on the elections. Also, the signing of the Accord resulted in the handing over of arms by as many as 1,615 NDFB militants at a ceremony in Assam capital Dispur on January 30.

In the wake of the Accord, the joining of the leaders of the disbanded National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) has come up as the highlight of BTC elections. BR Ferenga and Gobinda Basumatary have joined hands with the UPPL with a promise to defeat the “demons of BTC politics”. Former All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) leader Pramod Boro also joined the UPPL to contest in the elections.

It is pertinent to mention here B Saoraigwra, the leader of the disbanded NDFB (S), after joining the BPF, has sworn his affiliation to the party. Talking to media persons after joining the BPF, the former rebel leader said, “If I get the privilege, I will do whatever is good for the public”, and has further claimed that 99.9 pc of the NDFB cadres are with him.

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