Agartala: The security situation in the North Eastern States has improved substantially since 2014 and 2020 recorded the lowest insurgency incidents and casualties among civilians and security forces during the last two decades, said a report from the Ministry of Home Affairs. It also cites that compared to 2014, there has been a 74% reduction in insurgency incidents in 2021.
This North East region covers 7.97% of the country's geographical area and 3.78% of its population and has 5,484 kilometres of international border with Bangladesh (1,880 kms), Myanmar (1,643 kms), China (1,346 kms), Bhutan (516 kms) and Nepal (99 km). As per the report in 2014 around 824 incidents took place while in 2021 the number of incidents are 209. Starting from 2014 till 2021 around 5, 319 extremists surrendered while 580 were killed and 9,103 were arrested.
“Though law and order is a State subject, the Central government is supplementing efforts of the State governments for curbing the illegal and unlawful activities of insurgent groups of North Eastern States through various measures. These include deployment of Central Armed Police Forces, reimbursement of Security Related Expenditure (SRE) to the State governments under the SRE Scheme, Central assistance to the State governments for modernisation of State police forces, sanction of Indian Reserve Battalions, banning the Unlawful Associations operating in NE Region under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) and declaring specific areas/States as 'Disturbed Areas' under The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act,1958 (AFSPA)”, a report said.
Also read: Gadkari approves Rs 68,000 cr worth of road projects in four NE states
“To curb the illegal and unlawful activities by insurgent groups of North Eastern States, a total of 16 insurgent organisations of NE States are declared “unlawful associations” and/or “terrorist organisations” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The Central government has deployed Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to aid the State authorities in carrying out counter-insurgency operations and providing security to vulnerable institutions and installations”, the report reads.
The report claimed, “The security situation in the North Eastern States has improved substantially since 2014. The year 2020 recorded the lowest insurgency incidents and casualties among civilians and security forces during the last two decades. Compared to 2014, there has been a 74% reduction in insurgency incidents in 2021”. It also stated that during this period, Security Forces casualties have come down by 60% and Civilian deaths by 89%.
“In 2021, a total of 209 insurgency-related incidents were registered in the NE region in which 23 civilians and eight security forces personnel lost their lives. Counter-insurgency operations led to the neutralisation of 40 insurgents, the arrest of 686 insurgents and the recovery of 367 weapons in the region. A total of 1,473 cadres of insurgent outfits of NE States surrendered with 471 arms and joined the mainstream of society” the report of MHA said. It further said that Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura remained by and large peaceful and there is a marked improvement in the security situation in other states of the region.
