Guwahati, April 15: Police have beefed up security at Kaziranga National Park after reports that militants of the Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) may target tourists visiting the area.

The national park is situated along the Karbi Anglong border and the KLNLF has been active in Golaghat and Nagaon districts. Several businessmen in the area have been served extortion notices recently.

“We are not taking any chances. We have intensified security measures along the border areas, especially around Kaziranga National Park,” a senior police officer said.

The police have also set up temporary camps at the venue of the three-day Elephant Festival to be held at the Kohora range from April 18.

This is the first time that such security measures have been taken at Kaziranga.

“A large number of tourists, mostly foreigners, will visit the park during the elephant festival. We are taking every step to ensure foolproof security,” said a police officer at Golaghat.

Another police officer at Bokakhat said the militants have served extortion notices to several businessmen along the border areas.

On April 3, militants served an extortion notice to one Bindalal Goswami, who runs his business at Kuthori in Nagaon district.

Goswami, a resident of Kohora near the national park, informed the police about the matter on April 8.

Bokakhat police have registered a suo moto case in this regard, as the KLNLF served the notice at Goswami’s business establishment at Kuthori under Jakhalabandha police station but the businessman hails from Kohora, which is under Bokakhat police station.

Suspected KLNLF militants had attacked a doctor in his chamber near the Bagori range of the park a couple of months back.

The doctor managed to escape with bullet injuries in one of his legs.

The outfit was also responsible for kidnapping several tea garden officials from estates located in Karbi Anglong bordering Golaghat and Nagaon districts.

A police officer at Bokakhat said the KLNLF militants were more of a threat in the area than Ulfa.

“There is hardly any Ulfa activity in these areas but we are worried about the KLNLF, as the park is situated along the border of Karbi Anglong and KLNLF has become very active in these areas,” he said.

Sources in Karbi Anglong said though the security forces were conducting regular operations against militants, they have not met with much success.

The troops were unable to penetrate the deep jungles where the militants have their camps.

“The continuous rains have made matters worse. Our men are finding it difficult to penetrate inside these leech-infested jungles,” admitted an Assam Rifles official camping at Chokihola area in Karbi Anglong.