GUWAHATI, May 7 – After forming an armed wing in upper Assam, the Maoist rebel groups are now trying to consolidate their bases in the chicken neck connecting the North East region with the rest of the country, while, attempts are also on to strengthen the leading in lower Assam committee.

Highly placed security sources told The Assam Tribune that consolidation of the bases in the narrow corridor connecting the North East would be beneficial for the Maoist rebels on different counts and there is need for urgent steps to prevent such attempts. The Maoist rebels already have strong bases in North Bengal area of West Bengal and it would be easier for them to set up bases in the chicken neck.

Sources pointed out that having bases in the narrow corridor would give a passage to the Maoist rebels to sneak into the region from the rest of the country. Moreover, such bases will give the rebels a link to Nepal and Bhutan. It is a well established fact that the Maoist rebels have strong bases in Nepal and they are still receiving help from that country. Moreover, the Maoists have managed to establish bases in Bhutan, particularly among the Nepali migrants staying in that country. On the other hand, any major act of violence in the chicken neck can effectively cut off the North East from the rest of the country and that is why there is need for checking the attempt by the Maoist groups from establishing strong bases in that area, sources pointed out.

On the attempts by the Maoist rebel groups to strengthen the lower Assam leading committee, sources said that a meeting was organised by the political wing of the Maoists in Bongaigaon district about a month back and two Maoist leaders from outside the region also attended the meeting. Sources said that though some Bodo groups were also invited to attend the meeting, they refused to do so. Sources also pointed out that most of the Bodo groups have serious ideological difference with the Maoist groups and it is unlikely that any Bodo group would extend help to the Maoists.

The Maoist rebels are in need of weapons to form an armed wing in lower Assam and it is believed that a number of surrendered militant groups have a number of weapons at their disposal as according to intelligence inputs, such groups did not submit all their weapons while surrendering. The Maoist groups may try to establish contacts with such groups to procure weapons.

Sources said that the Maoist rebel groups first tried to establish roots in North East by forming the lower Assam leading committee more than a decade back, but the attempt did not succeed and later they started establishing themselves from upper Assam and Sadiya is believed to be the main base of the Maoists. Now the Maoists are again trying to revive the lower Assam leading committee along with forming a middle Assam committee.

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