Illegal arms available across State: Governor

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Dec 5 – Governor JB Patnaik today said that illegal arms are available not only in Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD) but across the State, which is why he had vouched for a detailed inquiry into it.


Patnaik was speaking to media on the sidelines of a book release function held at the Guwahati Press Club.


The Governor had said in New Delhi recently that illegal arms are easily available in BTAD. The statements were made in reference to violence in the BTAD.


It needs to be mentioned that in Guwahati itself, Police had recovered a number of arms consignments meant for militant activities in this year.


Patnaik also said that he would soon visit the Indo-Bangla border to take stock of the situation.


Asked to react, a senior Assam Police official said that recently the Superintendents of Police (SP) of different districts have been asked to initiate ardent steps to seize illegal arms.


“The activities of surrendered militants are also being monitored across the State,” he said, adding that a number of gunrunners had also been apprehended in the recent past based on intelligence inputs and concerted operation.


On BTAD, he informed that the security forces are working in tandem in BTAD and recently Army had managed to recover a cache of ammunition from near the Indo-Bhutan border and the operation is on.