GUWAHATI: In a bid to prevent extortion by militant outfits engaged in ceasefire, the Assam Government will now provide food and accommodation to about 2,500 militants presently sheltered in various designated camps in the State.

Inspector-General of Police (Special Branch) Khagen Sharma told The Hindu on Sunday that the Centre had okayed the State's proposal and agreed to reimburse the amount to be spent by Dispur for providing food and lodging and constructing the houses to accommodate the militants in the truce period.

"The step is being taken to prevent extortion by the outfits engaged in ceasefire. In absence of such a support system, the outfits have been resorting to extortion in violation of ceasefire ground rules in the pretext of arranging food and accommodation of their cadres. Henceforth the State Government will construct the accommodation facilities and also provide them food during the cease fire," the IGP added.

He said the decision would come into force with immediate effect, would also restrict movement of the cadres of these outfits as they would no longer be required to move out of the designated camps for making arrangement for food and other logistics.

The five militant outfits which are currently engaged in ceasefire agreement with the Centre are National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), Dima Halam Daogah(DHD), United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), Adivasi Cobra Militants of Assam(ACMA) and Birsa Commando Force (BCF).

After formal signing of the ceasefire, these militant outfits are allowed to set up their designated camps in some select areas where they construct temporary houses to accommodate their armed cadres. There are about 1,000 NDFB cadres in three designated camps, 400 DHD cadres in four camps, 150 UPDS cadres in three camps apart from 500 Adivasi militants of ACMA and BCF in the State.

Ever since cadres moved into these designated camps, there had been a large number of cases of the cadres moving out to civilian areas and extorting money from traders, contractors, government employees and other sections of the people.

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