KLO forms central panel - Former leaders rejoin

TT, April 25: The Kamtapur Liberation Organisation has reorganised itself and formed a new central committee to revive the demand for a separate state, an outfit leader said. 

At least three leaders of the militant group, who were arrested and released on bail, have rejoined the outfit, which for the first time has included Gorkhas and Assamese. 

Sources said the 15-member central committee had been formed in either Myanmar or Nepal with Jiban Singha alias Tamir Das as the chairman. Singha, a resident of Kumargram in Alipurduar subdivision, had formed KLO in 1993. 

The outfit resorted to extortion, killing and abduction till 2003 when the Royal Bhutan Army launched Operation Flushout and arrested many KLO militants in the Himalayan kingdom. 

Around 80 youths were handed over to Indian police. Singha fled to Bangladesh and the group disintegrated. In 2006, KLO planted a bomb in a New Jalpaiguri-bound train that killed seven people and injured at least 15. 

Since then, not much has heard about the group. Leaders like Tom Adhikary, Malkhan Singh and Nilambar Rajbanshi were granted bail after Trinamul government came to power. 

Later, KLO conducted fresh recruitment drives and this year at least 10 youths, many of whom were former KLO members, were arrested from Malda, Cooch Behar and Siliguri. 

Sources have said Tom Adhikary is the vice-chairman of the new committee and Kailash Koch is the general secretary. 

Prananarayan Koch has been made the assistant general secretary, Tarun Thapa, the deputy chief-in-commissioner, Malkhan Singh is the organising secretary, Lal Singh Deka, the assistant organising secretary and Nilambar Rajbanshi, finance secretary. 

Jagat Burman is the political commissioner and Rajib Kotai is the publicity secretary of the unit. 

“We have restructured our committee and we intend to revive our demands. 

The political commissioner post was created to carry out talks with like-minded organisations and parties who support our demand,” Prananarayan told The Telegraph over phone. 

“In case of talks with state and central governments or other agencies, the political commissioner will hold the dialogues.” 

The KLO wants a separate Kamtapuri state comprising six districts of north Bengal and some districts of Lower Assam. 

“We had huge hopes from the new government, which released some of our leaders on bail. 

But, unlike in the case of the surrendered Maoists of south Bengal, not a single step was taken by Mamata Banerjee’s government to rehabilitate us,” he said. 

“The chief minister took care of the hills and tribals of the Dooars but did not bother about the Rajbangshi population in north Bengal. Such apathy has prompted us to take the decision.” 

The new unit comprises Gorkhas (like Thapa) and Assamese (Deka). 

“Youths of these communities are equally frustrated. They have joined us in the second phase of our struggle,” Prananarayan said. 

Amit P. Javalgi, superintendent of police, Jalpaiguri, said: “Instructions have been passed to all police stations to trace the militants out on bail.”