Cooch Behar, March 7: The administration began its special training programme aimed at making surrendered militants of the Kamtapur Liberation Front (KLO) self- dependent by giving them yoga lessons today.
Efforts are also being made to bring back seven rebels, including KLO chief Jiban Singh, who are in Bangladesh.
Inspector-general of north Bengal range K.L. Meena, who inaugurated the training course at panchayat bhawan, said 119 surrendered KLO activists and their linkmen would undergo the training course to become self-dependent. After completion of the course, they will be given financial assistance to help them return to the mainstream.
According to Meena, 35 of the surrendered rebels will get the six-day training in the first batch.
District magistrate Ravi Inder Singh said they would be trained on agricultural technology, animal husbandry, and pisciculture.
?The government has sanctioned Rs 93 lakh for this purpose and we will give the rebels financial assistance to to help them take up a vocation that will help them lead a normal, healthy life,? Meena said.
Sabhadhipati of the zilla parishad Anata Roy said they would be given training on yoga and other games. Cultural programmes will also be held every evening.
Kshirod Barman of Baxirhat and Harekrishna Barman of Mathabhanga said had the government come forward to help them earlier, they would not have joined the militant organisation and wasted so many years of their life.
Kshirod, who had undergone training at outfit?s camp in Piping, Bhutan, is an expert in handling firearms, including the AK 47. Barman said he would buy a power trailer with government help to cultivate land.
Arrangements are being made to train them on repairing tractors, power trailers and pump sets. The training will be given by teachers of Cooch Behar Polytechnic College. Professors of North Bengal Agricultural University will give them lessons on cultivation.
Other than seven militants hiding in Bangaldesh, there are hardly 10 to 12 KLO militants who are at large, police sources said.
