Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today termed the serial attacks by NDFB(S) on adivasi community across the state as 'most heinous, most cowardly and most barbaric' and said the government will deal with the militant outfit 'very firmly'.
Addressing a press conference here, Gogoi said he will request Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is scheduled to visit the state, to launch a joint operation by army, paramilitary forces and Assam Police to flush out militants.
"The killing of innocent people by NDFB(S) militants is most heinous, most cowardly and most barbaric. We strongly condemn it...Assam and the central governments will not surrender to insurgents," he said.
Terming the current situation 'very critical', Gogoi said, "These (militants) forces must be curbed and such violence cannot be allowed to continue. We will deal with NDFB(S) very firmly."
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh had spoken to him and assured all help in dealing with the situation.
"The Centre is sending an additional 55 companies of para military forces, of which 20 are reaching in the next two days. I have already spoken to senior officials of the army and requested launch of an operation against the militant outfit," he said.
The Union Home Minister was requested to talk to the army on launching the operation, he said.
Violence escalated in Assam today as the toll in yesterday's carnage by NDFB(S) militants rose to 65 with advivasis retaliating by torching houses and attacking a police station during protests that left three persons dead allegedly in police firing.
The militants have been indulging in violence in Assam and fleeing to Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, besides Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, making it difficult for Assam Police to arrest them.
