Assam CM concerned over Maoist activities

Tarun Gogoi informed that the Maoist activities are significant in 9 districts of the State, and said that he was well aware of the people's demands for land deeds, infrastructure development, checking of erosion among others. Guwahati (PTI): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, on Thursday, said that he was concerned over the Maoist activities in the State and keeping a strict vigil on their activities in nine districts. "We are concerned over Maoist activities in parts of nine districts of Assam. Their presence is in 35 police station areas of the districts," Gogoi told reporters here.

"We have been keeping a strict vigil on the Maoists since 2006 and that is why they have not been able to step up their activities in the state as much as they would like", he informed. A close watch was kept on particularly in the areas where poor people lived as Maoists attempted to make inroads in the districts, he said and added that under surveillance were also the activities of suspected sympathisers of the Maoist rebels. The Chief Minister said that he was aware of the people's demands for land deeds, infrastructure development, checking of erosion among others and was working hard to reach the fruits of development to the people there. The nine affected districts are Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Jorhat, Sibsagar, Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Cachar and Karimganj, he said. Due to the alertness, four Maoists were killed in encounters with police and 58, including two top national level leaders arrested recently, he added.