The meeting, attended by leaders from various political parties, NGO activists and hundreds of common people, resolved to form village-level units of the existing Core Committee to fight militancy in Hailakandi and Karimganj districts bordering Mizoram and Tripura.
"There are a number of outposts and police camps, CRPF and the Army posts in the remote areas Manipur, Bilaipur, Dholcherra, Gandacherra and Hailakandi. Despite this, the militants and miscreants have been targeting villagers, kidnapping and killing them under the nose of the security forces. Recently, the timber mafia have also joined hand with the rebels. Security forces deployed in the area have failed to protect life and property of the commoners", said a resolution adopted by the huge gathering.
Addressing the meeting, Amire Sariat of the North East India Maulana Taibur Rahman Barbhuiyan expressed his concern over the insecurity in people living in the remote areas of the Barak Valley. "We should also analyze the reasons behind moral degradation of the youths who have taken up arms and become engaged in the 'business of kidnapping and killing'. While fighting militancy, we are also to strive for bringing back the youths to the mainstream", said the senior Muslim leader.
Barbhuiyan urged people to be united against the miscreants and help the administration curb the menace.
Hailakandi district Congress committee president Ashoke Dutta Gupta said people of this region should fight against the militants and prevent spread of panic. He added that police and the administration have been doing its best to bring the situation under control.
AIUDF district president Nazmul Hussain Majumdar, senior BJP leader Govinda Lal Chatarjee and others also addressed the gathering.
The meeting sought to press upon the administration to start vigilance and mobile patrolling by police and security forces in the remote villages of Hailakandi.
Sources said Muslim villagers, including farmers and traders, were the main targets of the militants in the area. They kidnapped and released the victims in exchange of hefty ransom amounts. Only last week a timber trader of Sahabad village in Hailakandi was kidnapped and killed by the miscreants. Four others were kidnapped and later released against ransom. The area near Mizoram border is a stronghold of the United Democratic Liberation Tigers , the United Democratic Liberation Army, the United Liberation Front of Barak Valley and other Reang and Muslim outfits.