Earlier this month, the Army had conducted a sensitization drive for village heads in Goalpara and Kamrup, which borders Meghalaya. Goalpara was the worst-hit district in Assam side during the clash in January this year which claimed 10 lives and more than 15,000 displaced on both sides of the inter-state border.
During the sensitization drive, called Juga Jug, the village heads of Goalpara were apprised on keeping vigil on the movement of miscreants or militants to ensure peaceful pollings. Goalpara is located close to Meghalaya border.
At villages where there were mixed population of Garos and Rabhas, the Army has asked the village heads to help in maintaining communal harmony between the two communities.
"We sensitized the village heads on how to ensure peaceful atmosphere and help in free and fair election. In case any militant take shelter in any of the hamlets, the village heads were asked to inform the security forces immediately. We have also told them to keep watch on movement of persons," an Army official said.
"The purpose was to take village heads' help in stopping militancy disturbing the poll process. And also because of the recent ethnic flare-up, we have sensitize the village heads on maintaining harmony between the communities. This will help in the entire poll process," the official added.
Sources said that miscreants might take chance of disrupting the poll process by creating ethnic tension among the communities. The Army said that the village heads have assured of assisting the security forces so that poll process was not hampered by ethnic tension or militant activities. Though normalcy has returned to the villages now, army said that miscreants might take chance to disrupt the polling process. With Garo Hills in Meghalaya being still the hub of militant activity, army officials said terrorists might indulge in subversive activities in the run-up to the election.