| - Dispur to intensify joint operations | ||
May 23: Twelve persons were injured when suspected militants of the Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel Gorlosa) attacked yet another goods train in North Cachar Hills district of Assam at 1pm today. A high-level security review meeting, held in Dispur around the same time, decided to intensify joint operations against those fomenting trouble in the hill district. Police sources said the Badarpur-bound train from Lumding, which had chugged just 25km to Dijaobra under Langting police station, came under attack between Langting and Dijaobra stations. Two railway personnel, including an assistant engineer, three jawans of the India Reserve Battalion and seven constables of Assam Police battalion were injured in the attack. A source in Lumding Railway Hospital said the three IRB jawans, who suffered critical bullet injuries, were shifted to Guwahati Medical College Hospital for treatment. The others were injured while trying to escape. “Most of them fell down and hurt themselves,” he added. The sources said the assailants, numbering about eight, were crouching on a hill saddle that divided the rail track, awaiting the arrival of the train. They, however, fled when “the security personnel inside the heavily fortified goods train retaliated strongly,” a Maibong police source said. It could not be gathered if any rebel was injured. The train was later brought to Mandardisa station (before Dijaobra station, near Lumding) from where the incident was reported to Lumding over phone. The DHD (J) has stepped up its attacks in the district, hitting goods train services. Army and BSF reinforcements were rushed to the attack site today to join a combing drive for the assailants. The NC Hills Autonomous Council appealed to the DHD (J) to stop the attacks on trains. It also urged the state and Union governments to take steps to bring the militant group to the negotiating table. The high-level meeting in Dispur, chaired by chief secretary P.C. Sharma, discussed ways to restore peace in the troubled district. It was attended by director-general of police G.M. Srivastava, GOC, 4 Corps, Lt Gen. K.T. Parnaik, and senior officials. Sharma told this correspondent that the government was taking all possible measures to tackle the situation and restore peace in the district. Sources in Dispur said the nearly three-hour-long meeting decided to deploy more security personnel in the district, intensify joint operations and share intelligence promptly among security agencies. It unanimously decided to keep the rail services going despite the attacks. NF Railway promised to extend all support provided the security of its personnel was ensured. The chief executive member of NC Hills Autonomous Council, Mohit Hojai, today held a news meet in Haflong on the law and order in the district. The police have been looking for him in connection with the recovery of Rs 1 crore in Guwahati last month from two persons who claimed to have brought the cash from his residence there for the purchase of arms for the DHD (J). |
DHD-J targets train, 12 hurt
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