In a clear indication that the Centre is hardening its stance against the outlawed Ulfa, a slew of measures to beef up counter-insurgency measures is being considered aimed at preventing further violence in the region and neutralising the outfit.

With Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal submitting his report today on the killings in Assam, a decision has been taken to dispatch 20 companies of paramilitary forces to the state. Efforts are on to identify the hideouts of Ulfa in the region that include some riverine islands and carry out “pin-pointed” operations. The Home Ministry has also called a meeting with top officials of the state, including Director General of Police and chief secretary on January 12 for an assessment of the situation.

Jaiswal told reporters that the demand for additional troops would be met and there will be no loophole in the counter-insurgency operations. “We are trying to put an end to such incidents in Assam once and for all,” he said, adding that the recent killings of Hindi-speaking people indicated a desperate attempt by the outfit to prove that it was still strong enough to create disturbances.

Sources said the possibility of deploying extra forces from neighbouring states is also being considered given that the demand for Central forces is strong in the Naxalite-infested states. The state government has been advised to fill up existing vacancies in the police and consider raising extra battalions whose expenses would be borne by the Centre.

The Government’s toughening posture marks a departure from the policy a few months ago when it declared suspension of operations in the hope that Ulfa would respond to the peace overtures and come forward for talks. In 2005, National Security Adviser MK Narayanan had even sent a letter to the outfit’s leadership saying that all issues, including sovereignty would be on the agenda of talks.

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