Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Delhi asks NIA to probe weapons haul in Mizoram

Guwahati, June 11: The March 8 arrest of three Bangladeshi nationals in Mizoram with a cache of sophisticated weapons has alarmed the Centre enough to order an National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the arms-bust.
Rabi Chakma, Sabuj Chakma and Mani Tripura, all Bangladeshi nationals, were arrested after Mizoram police and Assam Rifles recovered 33 AK-47 rifles along with a Singapore-made light machine gun, a US Combat Browning Automatic Rifle, 809 rounds of ammunition and 33 magazines in two separate operations in Lengte village near the Lengpui airport, about 30km from Aizawl on March 8.
An official source said that the NIA registered a case at its Guwahati branch on Friday following an official notification issued by the Union home ministry directing it to conduct a detailed probe into the seizure.
The source said another reason why the seizure had worried the home ministry was that Mizoram — showcased as an island of peace in troubled Northeast — was being increasingly used by rebels from other states as a corridor to smuggle arms and also to cross over to neighbouring countries seeking refuge or training.
Increased vigil along the India-Myanmar border in Manipur is another reason why Mizoram is now the preferred route.
Mizoram shares a 722km border with Myanmar and Bangladesh.
According to the source, the arms consignment was believed to be for one of the factions of the Shanti Bahini, the military wing of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti, which claims to be fighting for the rights of the indigenous people of Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern Bangladesh.
They had smuggled the arms from Myanmar and were planning to take these to Bangladesh.
“The Centre has handed over the investigation to the NIA because two foreign countries are involved and moreover, the probe agency will also investigate whether any militant group of the Northeast is helping the Samiti to foment trouble in Bangladesh,” the source said.
“Since Paresh Barua of Ulfa (Independent) is also based in Myanmar and is reportedly involved in gun-running, the possibility of Ulfa providing arms to the Samiti cannot be ruled out,” he added.
He said Mizoram had also become a meeting point of banned outfits, especially strike arms deals, which was also a cause for concern.
An earlier NIA probe into the Maoist nexus with Northeast militant groups had revealed that a meeting was held between the leaders of the Manipur-based People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Maoists at Champhai in Mizoram on July 15, 2010.
The source said initially, the accused trio, who belong to the Chakma community, tried to conceal their true identities by claiming to be from North Tripura.
“However, sustained interrogation by police and verification with Tripura police later confirmed that they are Bangladeshi citizens and members of a faction of Shanti Bahini,” he said.