Tinsukia, Dec 18: After establishing its base in Changlang and Tirap districts of Arunachal Pradesh, the NSCN (Khaplang) is making deep inroads into Assam's Tinsukia district, which had otherwise remained a stronghold of Ulfa until 2008.
Yesterday, around 10 to 12 NSCN (Khaplang) militants set on fire a dumper of a private mining company at Tikak Colliery under Margherita police station in Tinsukia district yesterday. They also destroyed another truck and resorted to six to seven rounds of firing before fleeing the scene.
Superintendent of Tinsukia police Mugdha Jyoti Mahanta today said the NSCN (K) was "flexing its muscles" in the district of Upper Assam, particularly, in the areas bordering Arunachal Pradesh.
With the district loaded with oil, coal mining and tea gardens, the latest pattern reveals that the outfit has a larger plan in mind, he added.
Earlier, the NSCN (K) activities were limited to Changlang and Tirap districts of Arunachal Pradesh, but, of late its has shown a growing interest in Tinsukia district in Assam, he said.
A source in the intelligence agency said the outfit was trying to fill the vacuum created by Ulfa (Independent) taking the advantage of the Naga bastis on the Assam-Arunachal border.
The NSCN (K) is trying to use their links with Ulfa (I) to gain and dominate the bordering area of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, which has been traditionally a stronghold of NSCN (Isak-Muivah), said another senior intelligence official.
The NSCN (K) had abrogated ceasefire in March last year, following which it launched a spate of deadly attacks on security forces right from Myanmar to Arunachal Pradesh .