By Nirendra Dev
NEW DELHI, March 25 : Assam, Nagaland and Manipur top the list of vulnerable states in the north-east where additional security personnel would be deployed for the polls depending on the availability of forces, intelligence sources said here.
They said the decision has been arrived at after senior home ministry officials held a series of meetings with the chief secretaries and directors general of police of all noth-eastern states to review the security situation. The Army and Election Commission’s assessment too, has been taken into consideration, sources said. They, however, ruled out much deployment of additional forces in Tripura, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.
The Centre’s assessment coincides with the visit of the Election Commissioner, Mr Navin Chawla, to the region this week.
“While Assam and Nagaland figure as most vulnerable along with Manipur due to ethnic tensions besides problems from insurgents, the same could not be said about states like Meghalaya,” sources said.
In Assam some pockets have been already identified as “most sensitive”. They include North Cachar Hills and Karbi Anglong while in Nagaland a high alert has been sounded around Dimapur-Kohima belt and parts of Mon and Tuensang districts bordering Myanmar.
In Manipur, some poll related violence has already started with unidentified militants hurling grenades at the house of Congress MLA Hemochandra in Imphal west on 21 March night. Reports said Hemochandra is a front runner for a Congress ticket from Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency.
Sources said the law and order situation is normal or near normal in Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. Militant activities in Tripura had reduced following surrender of ultras in the last three months.
The feedback suggests Assam will have to be put on high alert following threats of bomb explosions in public places. “Moreover, the latent division in the rank and file of Ulfa too poses a serious threats as the hardliners could target the pro-talks group,” the sources said.
The Centre does not want to leave anything to chance and the Union home ministry has sought separate reports from all Central paramilitary forces and chief ministers.
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