Govt goes all-out against NDFB(S), issues order to eliminate top leadership: Sources

Tribal women throw flowers on the funeral pyre during mass cremation in Tinsuti village in Sonitpur district of Assam

Guwahati/New Delhi: In the wake of deadly attacks in Assam by the outlawed NDFB(S) militants, the government is believed to have ordered an all-out action against the militant group.

As per highly-placed sources, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh – who is in Assam to take stock of the situation on a day when the toll in militant attacks and subsequent violence rose to 78 – has issued a 'discreet order' to security agencies to eliminate the top leadership of anti-talk Songbijit faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) in two months.

Sources say the government is of the view that such orders should have been issued by the Assam government long ago when intelligence inputs had been received about possible NDFB(S) attacks in the state.

According to sources, a series of intelligence inputs on possible militant strikes were passed on to the Assam government between September and December. However, the state government failed to act on the inputs.

The development came hours after Rajnath said in a tough message that strong action will be taken against NDFB(S), asserting that the Centre has "zero tolerance" policy for such "crafted terror".

"We will take strong measures to deal with the outfit and will control it effectively," he told reporters at Biswanath Chariali in Sonitpur district during his visit to review the situation in the state, which has been rocked by the bloodbath by Bodo militants and retaliatory violence by Adivasis.

Asked about operations against the outfit, the minister said, "Operations will definitely be launched against the outfit but cannot say when".

Militants killed a total of 71 people -- 43 in Sonitpur, 25 in Kokrajhar and three in Chirang district in the Tuesday massacre. In retaliatory attacks by adivasis, four Bodos were killed while three adivasis were killed allegedly in police firing on violent protesters.