More teeth to forces
Guwahati, July 10 : Assam Rifles, the oldest paramilitary force in the country, will soon have its own intelligence and commando wings to add teeth to the counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast.
The force, operating in almost all the insurgency-hit states of the region, at present has to depend on the army, police and a “few local connections” to gather intelligence.
Official sources said the decision was taken last week in pursuance of Union home minister P. Chidambaram’s “tough stand” on combating terrorism.
An official of the paramilitary force said the total strength of the two elite units would be around 1,000 personnel, but it has not yet been decided whether they would comprise men drawn from the existing units of the Assam Rifles or whether there would be a recruitment drive.
“Raising a separate intelligence wing and commando unit was the need of the hour considering the lacunae in counter-insurgency operations in the region,” the official said, adding that the raising of the two units would help the force execute operations in the shortest possible time.
At present, the force faces lots of difficulties, as it has to depend totally on other agencies for intelligence gathering and in conducting operations.
“The intelligence apparatus will facilitate the collection of information for meaningful dissemination and speedy action,” the official added.
He said in the insurgency-ravaged Northeast, counter-insurgency operations were carried out in jungles and on difficult hilly terrain and as such the success story largely depended on proper intelligence gathering and the speed and accuracy with which they were implemented.
“Intelligence delayed is intelligence denied. For the success of our operations, the support of a dedicated intelligence network was long felt by the force. With proper intelligence, the commandos can execute an operation promptly and effectively,” he added.
The “friends of the hill people”, as Assam Rifles is called, has been serving in all the northeastern states ever since its formation.
The 174-year-old “sentinel of the Northeast”, as the paramilitary force is commonly referred to, has 46 battalions consisting of 65,000 troopers in the region.
It also has an “elite” dog squad based in Jorhat. The canine unit, set up in 1996, has about 100 dogs.
It is responsible for the Northeast and has been doing a commendable job in fighting insurgency. The dogs are now being trained to be para-dropped for counter-insurgency operations.
The role of the Assam Rifles includes counter-insurgency operations, guarding the Indo-Myanmar and Sino-Indian border and providing aid to civil authorities when required.
