Violent incidents have shown an upward trend in Assam during the past three-four years, with the number of civilian casualties also going up sharply, says the latest annual report of the Home Ministry. The report says while there were 267 violent incidents in the state during 2004, the number had gone up to 474 in 2007. Likewise, the number of civilians who lost their lives in violent incidents went up from 194 in 2004 to 287 last year.
“The security situation in Assam (and Manipur) continued to be a matter of concern. In Assam, after a lull, following the suspension of operations against the ULFA in 2006 in the context of talks with them, which was apparently utilised by them for consolidation and reorganisation of their cadres, there was an increase in violence, particularly in areas of Upper Assam and Guwahati city,” the report says.
Interestingly, while ULFA-related violence has been slightly lower in the current year, Assam has been witnessing a never-before law and order situation in the North Cachar Hills district, where violence perpetrated by the outlawed Black Widow or Jewel Gorlosa faction of the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD-J) has compelled the railways to suspend its operations on the Lumding-Silchar section since May 12.
The DHD(J) alone has been responsible for killing at least 50 persons in the North Cachar Hills district since January, which included several contract labourers engaged in the broad gauge conversion work of the railways and the East-West Corridor project of the National Highway Authority of India.
The report says while 17 security force personnel had lost their lives in Assam during 2004, the figure went up to 27 during 2007. The figure was even more – 32 – in 2006.
The situation, however, is worse in Manipur where 130 civilians were killed by various militant groups in 2007. The figure was 88 in 2004. The number of violent incidents in the state went up from 478 in 2004 to 584 in 2007.