[caption id="attachment_5397" align="alignleft" width="140" caption="Representative Image"]
[/caption]DIPHU, Nov 20: Hills Tiger Force (HTF), an armed outfit formed recently has issued fresh threat of carrying out sabotage and targeting security forces, if the group’s arrested leaders are not released. The threat has alarmed security forces in Dima Hasao district.
On November 15, one of the leaders of the outfit Lune Kuki, through SMS demanded immediate release of Benjamin Zaulin, reportedly the commander-in-chief of HTF, Alex Theak and seven other militants of the outfit were also arrested on November 13 from their hideout inside dense forest of Recjol. A huge cache of arms was recovered from the ultras.
The message indicates that second line leadership of HTF has re-organized themselves after the early setback. A secret meeting took place near Hemapucate, uppermost summit of Borial mountain range, where the organisation chalked out its strategy.
It may be mentioned that after renaming of North Cachar (NC) Hills to Dima Hasao, Indigenous Peoples Forum (IPF) a conglomeration of non Dimasa social and political organisation opposed the move.
IPF demanded bifurcation of the hill district into Haflong subdivision dominated by Hmar, Kuki, Zemi Nagas and other non Dimasa tribe be named as N C Hills, while the Maibong subdivision be named as per choice of the Dimasas. The same demand was also raised by HTF. Peaceful agitation by IPF in October turned violent.
Two Dimasa villages were torched and a village headman was killed. Later James Dimasa, a former DHD leader was shot dead. HTF claimed responsibility for attacking dominant Dimasa population after the incidents. In anticipation of an armed clash between Dimasa radical groups and HTF, authorities have tightened security in the area.
~Nagalandpost
