Assam Rifles at 180 by The Isis Lifestyle

ASSA M RIFLES AT 180

CONTENTS Foreward

Genesis

Nineteenth Century North East

Annexation of Assam

Early History

Frontier Police and Military Police

The Tribal Expeditions

World Wars & Inter War Years

World War I

Inter-War Years

World War II

Post World Wars and Independence

Tribal Policy & NEFA

The Earthquake

Naga Uprising 1955

Escape of Dalai Lama

Chinese Aggression

Indo Pak Wars

Chaukan Pass Expedition

Expansion of Assam Rifles

The Organisation Today

Leadership

Counter Insurgency, Border Guarding & Peace Keeping

103

North East India

106

Jammu & Kashmir

109

Border Guarding

113

Peace Keeping

115

Haiti Mission

117

Training

119

Assam Rifles Training Centre & School

123

Training Philosophy

127

Games and Sports

139

Epilogue

141

Connect with the North East

143

Scroll of Honour

145

The Road Ahead

162

Vision For The Future

164

Bibliography

168

The Team at 180

169

Lt Gen R K Rana, SM, VSM Director General Assam Rifles

FORE WORD

Assam Rifles at 180, is intended

has come to be honoured by

The production team of this

to be a commemorative book,

several epithets and symbols

book constitutes a passionate

to mark the anniversary of

- each backed by a profound

band of youngsters, who

the raising of the country’s

and inspiring episode. During

have strived to lend an air

oldest Para Military Force.

this time we have also learnt

of freshness to the text and

An anniversary induces a

that we have a critical role in

illustrations and I am sure, it

resurgence of interest in the

carrying out projects designed

will convey the essence of the

evolution, and a review of the

to extend economic and social

commemorative occasion of

course followed so far. This

benefits to the people of North

our great Force.

volume intends to survey the

East and the calibration it

historical experience and the

entails in terms of training and

principles on which Assam

resources.

Rifles was established and draw the lessons which would

This book is intended to recall

help to shape the professional

the whispers of the forbearers

issues of today and tomorrow.

and the intentions of the

From ‘Cachar Le vy’ to

statesmen who defined our

‘Assam Rifles’ - a series of

ethos and function, lest we get

circumstances have played an

deluded by the cacophony of

instrumental part in defining

media reports and numerous

and redefining our structure

other voices vying with each

and role from time to time.

other for public attention.

During this journey the Force

GENESIS

View of a village in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh

N I N E TE E NTH C E NTU RY NORTH E A ST

The Seven Sister States, also

South West China or South

runs contrary to the attempts

called “Paradise Unexplored”,

East Asia via Burma at various

are the contiguous states of

points of history.

assert their identities on

Arunachal Pradesh, Assam,

local communities

account of perceived identity

Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram,

The sobriquet, the Land

crises or complaints about

Nagaland and Tripura in

of Seven Sisters, had been

‘neglect’. Moreover, the seven

Northeastern India. Contrary

originally coined to coincide

sisters are of great geo-

to the mainland Indian

with the inauguration of

political, geostrategic and

perception of Northeast India

the new states in January,

geo-economic importance as

as a culturally homogeneous

1972, by Jyoti Prasad Saikia,

the region borders with China,

region of mongoloid races,

a journalist in Tripura in the

Bangladesh, Myanamar and

the region is diverse in almost

course of a radio talk show.

Bhutan.

every aspect; it is inhabited

Saikia later compiled a book

by a mosaic of societies

on the interdependence and

The genesis and evolution

characterised by diversity of

commonness of the Seven

of the Assam Rifles is deeply

ethnicity, language, culture,

Sister States, and named it the

rooted in this racial, cultural

religion, social organisation,

Land of Seven Sisters. It has

and bio-geographic diversity

economic pursuits, productive

been primarily because of this

and our colonial history.

relations and participation in

publication that the nickname

political process. J.B. Fuller

has caught on.

(1909), in his introduction to Major Alan Playfair’s book on

This monolithic view about

the Garos, wrote that “The

North East India is strongly

province of Assam in the far

held, by the policy makers

northeastern corner of India is

who have to act from an

a museum of nationalities.” It

administrative perspective

has been the meeting ground

and have to focus on their

of different people who

similarities in political, social

migrated to the region from

and economic contexts which

The North East of India Circa. 1823

An artistic representation of the the landing at Rangoon C. 1824 - 1826

A NNE X ATION OF A SSA M

Assam came under British

Writes Bampfylde Fuller “ …the

problem was solved by raising

rule after the Anglo- Burmese

tribesmen who are still inspired

special local units, such as the

War in 1826. The British take

by the ancient ideas that war

Punjab Irregular Frontier Force

over led to relative stability

is one of the most exhilarating

in the Punjab. In the northeast,

and increased economic

of life’s experiences, and its

the Assam Rifles (AR), initially

activities. The tea industry

commemoration, in war-dress

named the Cachar Levys,

flourished and became one of

and war dances, the most

came into being along with

the principal sources of wealth

enjoyable of amusements.

the Jorhat Militia and the Kuki

because of its large scale

Levy. Subsequently all these

export to Britain. Coal and

The most obvious method of

forces were reorganized and

oil deposits were discovered

stopping these marauding

renamed as the Frontier Force.

and forest produce provided

raids was retaliatory incursions

“The task assigned to the

substantial income. “Assam”,

into tribal territory. The Bharat

Cachar Levy/Police Militia

writes Lt Col RS Chhettri,

Rakshak Monitor attributes the

immediately after its raising

“thus became prosperous,

raising of Para Military Forces

in 1835 was to guard the

and new settlements came

to the need to consolidate

Eastern Frontier of Assam

up in different places offering

and extend the annexation

from the Brahmaputra river to

attractive targets for trans-

of the northeastern and the

Cachar and to carry out small

border forays of the tribals.

northwestern portions of the

scale punitive expeditions in

This in turn posed a serious

Indian landmass, with the least

the hill areas of Assam.” The

threat to the British industries

expense to the treasury. The

pattern of deployment of

and plantations in Assam”

British found it increasingly

the Force consisted of strong

which apparently sparked the

difficult to garrison newly

detachments of troops at

imperative of constituting a

conquered territories; lying

Nowgong and Silchar with

force to contain and regulate

at great distances from the

small posts all along the

tribesmen inspired by the most

towns; with the regular troops.

frontier and an administrative

primitive ideas and practices

This was mainly owing to the

headquarters at at Asloo (16

of war in which looting,

exorbitant outlays involved.

miles from Halflong) together

murdering, plundering and

Paucity of readily available

with the Levy’s strongest

despoiling were norms of life.

units was another reason. The

detachment. Initially the

Cachar Levy had established

lives. In most of these cases

twelve stockades or frontier

their heads as well as those of

posts all along the 400 km

their escorts were taken away

frontier which ran through the

by the killers along with their

great Nambhar forest near the

weapons and equipment. It

foothills of the Naga hills to the

was for the recovery of their

plains of the Surma valley, east

heads and stores that punitive

of Silchar.

expeditions were undertaken; smaller ones by the Military

Maintenance of law and order

Police itself and larger ones in

was the whole time occupation

collaboration with the Army.

of the Force against the

Every such expedition generally

incessant incidents of violence

ended with the annexation

Some of the famous ones

on the part of the tribal warriors,

of the area by the British,

are : Kuki and Lushai Hills

who raided the adjoining tea

followed by establishment

Expeditions;

gardens in Assam, murdered

of Military Police posts in the

Expeditions; Abor Expeditions;

British officials, transgressed

annexed area. The expeditions

Apatani Expedition; Mishmi

the recognized boundaries or

were also carried out to extend

Expeditions.

hunted human heads in the

contact with the frontier tribes

neighbouring villages.

and for carrying out a survey of unexplored areas.

The inter tribal feuds amongst the Nagas, their attacks on the

The Assam Military Police

survey parties and the murder

being light footed, highly

of several British officers on

mobile, steeped in austerity

duty convinced the authorities

had “more teeth than tail”, and

of the necessity of a” Forward

was the primary instrument

Policy” in the Naga hills. In

used by the British in the North

order to serve British interest,

East India to establish their

towards the close of 1878,

political domination over the

it was decided to gradually

region. There were numerous

extend British authority over

expeditions launched in the

“all independent tribes”.

nineteenth century and the decisive role played by the

In the process of extension

Assam Military Police has been

of the British administration,

eloquently mentioned in a

many British officers lost their

plethora of historical accounts. 15

A “Cachar Levy” Constable Circa. 1835

Manipur

EARLY HISTORY

F RON T I E R POL ICE A N D M IL ITA RY POL ICE

Although Army units were always

the corps apparently became

on hand, and were employed in

to be known as the Cachar Levy.

most major campaigns, their

It had meanwhile incorporated

numbers were clearly insufficient

another Shan militia in 1838,

to carry out the everyday patrols

which came to be known as the

and minor expeditions that

Jorhat Levy.

formed an in integral part of Indian frontier management.

ln about 1852, the Cachar Levy

These duties were instead left

was split into two. One part

predominantly in the hands

was based at Nowong (Now

of the Frontier Police (later the

Nangam) and the other at

Military Police) battalions. The

Silchar in North Cachar. Later

Frontier Police (FP) had their

when the Assamese Levies were

origins in various irregular corps

officially abolished in 1861, these

known as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Leviesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; raised during

two units were considerably

the Second Quarter of the 19th

strengthened (from roughly

Century . The earliest appears to

100-160 men to about 500-560

have been the 600-strong Shan

each) to become respectively

Levy raised in 1825 from the Shan

the Nowgong Frontier Police

tribesmen who had previously

Battalion and the North Cachar

served with the Burmese.

Hills Frontier Police Battalion.

Initially they served under their

Lakhimpur Police Militia had

own leaders but in 1831 the

meanwhile been established

corps was placed under the

in about 1843. The Nowgong

command of a military subaltern.

unit began to be referred to as

Subsequently Gurkhas and

the Naga Hills Frontier Police

Cacharies were recruited and

Battalion in the mid 1860s.

The Expedition for containing of the Lushai Hill Tribes

Another militia, the Kuki Levy,

were happy to leave them

The frequency of their slave-

was raised in Silchar in June

alone as much as possible.

raids and head-hunting forays

1850, comprising 200 Kukis

Consequently, accepted

resulted in the Chin being

and Cacharies who were later

practice prior to the mid 1860’s

‘universally hated’ by their

amalgamated into the existing

was to simply dispatch punitive

neighbours and numerous

Frontier Police battalions in

expeditions into the hills when

abortive expeditions were

1867. The new Military Police

necessary and to establish

launched against the Chin

were originally organized as

outposts to guard particularly

from Manipur and Burma

four battalions, comprising

threatened areas. It was only

prior to British annexation

the Naga Hills Battalion

the growth of the tea industry

of these areas. Conquest of

(Headquarters at Kohima),

and other commercial interests

Upper Burma finally gave the

the Lakhimpur Battalion

in Assam that prompted the

British access to the Chins’

(Headquarters at Dibrugarh),

adoption of a more acquisitive

mountainous homeland at

the

Battalion

policy, leading in time to the

the end of the 1880s and

(Headquarters at Silchar) and

annexation of Naga, Lushai

s u b s ta n t i a l

the Surma Valley and Garo

and Chin territory in particular.

mounted in 1889-90 and 1892-

Hills Battalion (Headquarters

Nevertheless, such were

93 eventually brought them to

at Tura). In 1882 the strength of

the logistical difficulties of

heel. They were progressively

the Naga Hills Battalion was 568

imposing British Government

disarmed after 1893 and the

men which later increased to

in the region that many areas

Chin Hills became a province

700. The Lakhimpur Battalion

remained ‘unadministered’

of British Burma in 1895.

was also raised to 700 men in

even at the end of Victoria’s

1883 but the Garo Hills and

reign.

The Tribal Expeditions

understrength. Two additional

As well as being inveterate

1st Assam Rifles (Lushai Hills

units were raised following the

raiders, the majority of the

Battalion)

annexation of the Lushai Hills.

hill-peoples of the area were

Cachar

expeditions

Cachar Battalions remained

also head-hunters, particularly

Between 1865 and 1868 Kukis

The tribes living along

the Garos, Kukis, Lushais and

and Lushais from the southern

India’s North-East Frontier

Nagas. In some isolated areas

hills carried out a number

were sufficiently hostile and

head-hunting persisted into

of raids in the Cachar area.

their territory sufficiently

the mid-20th Century.

Although expeditions were

impenetrable that the British

mounted against them, but

View of the Lushai Hills

it was only during the winter of 1871-72 that the first of a number of extensive military operations could be launched to subjugate the Lushai tribes. Two strong columns were ordered into the Lushai Hills (now Mizoram), one from Silchar southwards, to punish the tribes on the northeast corner, near the border of Manipur; and the other from Chittagong eastwards, to punish the tribes based at Aizawl and Lungleh. The Cachar column comprised 300 Frontier Police personnel apart from other regular forces. The Chittagong column consisted of three regular battalions and a detachment from the Frontier Police. The joint operation lasted throughout the winter. Large number of tribesmen made their submission and the Lushais gave no further trouble for some years. As a result of this operation, a line of strongly manned posts, were established along Cachar, Sylhet and Chittagong borders. About a hundred personnel of the Frontier Police were awarded the Indian General Service Medal with clasp â&#x20AC;&#x153; Looshaiâ&#x20AC;? for this operation- the first such award to be recorded.

The Lushai Expedition : Officers checking boats after crossing a river

In January 1888, a concerted

another column comprising

mention in General Tregearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

attack by the Poi clan led to

400 men from the Surma Valley

despatches at the end of the

the beheading of a British

Military Police was also moved

operations.

officer Lieutenant Stewart

into the hills. The tactical route

and his reconnaissance

lay along the Dalesari River in

Both the columns of the

party. Following this, a strong

the upper reaches. The valley

Frontier Police â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Surma

column of Regular troops and

was so confined and the terrain

Valley Military Police and the

200 Frontier Police personnel

so difficult that progress could

Chittagong Frontier Police -

entered the Lushai territory

only be made by means of

joined hands a few miles south

for a punitive action. This

rafts, a large number of which

of Aizawl in mid February, and

expedition was strengthened

were constructed by the

were amalgamated into one

further to nearly 4000 men

Frontier Police. These men

force, the forbears of 1st Assam

and its task was upgraded to

soon became experts in river

Rifles.

permanent occupancy in the

craft and performed the task so

Lushai area. To support him,

well that they received special

The punitive operations against

Pacification of the Lushais

the tribes were successfully

were put down during 1890-

Order of Merit, 2nd Class, the

carried out though not without

91, including one in Manipur

first such known awards to the

some close quarter jungle

in which a strong detachment

Frontier Police.

fighting. When the task was

from the Surma Valley Battalion

accomplished, a permanent

marched into Manipur State

In 1892, for instance, two

stockade was established

under Colonel Rennick and

columns of Military Police,

at Aizawl where 200 men

remained there for several

one each from Aizawl and

remained garrisoned. For these

months. During one of these

Lungleh joined hands with

operations men from both the

operations, in the Southern

a regular column of regular

units were awarded the Indian

Lushai Hills, Subedar Sangram

troops from Fort White (60th

General Service Medal (1859-

Sing and Havaldar Chandra

Rifles of the British Army and

1895), clasp â&#x20AC;&#x153; Chin Lushai Hills

Singh Thapa of the Chittagong

39th Garhwal) to subjugate

1889-90â&#x20AC;?.

Frontier Police distinguished

rebellious elements over

themselves by their gallantry

a wide area in the central,

and were awarded the Indian

southern and northern regions

A number of minor rebellions

View of The British Cantonment Langtobal, Manipore

of the Lushai Hills (for which the

and Lakhimpur districts. The

of the escort and survey parties.

General Service Medal with Clasp

Battalion saw active service

In consequence, a large punitive

“ Lushai 1889-92” was awarded

against the Abors and Mishmis

force drawn from regular troops

to the troops and the Military

during the ‘seventies. In addition,

and the Lakhimpur and Naga

Police.

it furnished detachments in

Frontier Police Battalions under

support of survey operations

Brigadier General Nuthall was

2nd Assam Rifles (Lakhimpur

in the Lhota and Ao areas in

sent to exact reparations.

Battalion)

Northern Nagaland. In one of these expeditions one British

During the North Lushai Hills

The Lakhimpur Battalion

officer was killed and another

disturbances of 1890-91, 120

was raised in 1864 to secure

wounded, and there were over

Lakhimpur Battalion troops had

the borders along Sadiya

130 casualties among the men

operated under Captain Maxwell

and relieved the Surma Valley

tribesmen became a landmark in

Frontier Police . In 1893, Captain

illustrating the high expenditure

Maxwell was given the command

of employing regular troops

The next occasion when the

of a 600 strong force comprising

for minor tasks. Colonel

Lakhimpur Battalion was

300 men of his own and 100 from

Molesworthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s column which

employed in the field in

the Naga Hills Military Police to

proceeded on this assignment

conjunction with regular forces

punish a number of Abor villages

consisted mostly of regulars

was in 1911. A strong force under

who had been raiding the plains

(besides Lakhimpur personnel).

General Bowers, consisting

for slaves.

It stayed out for three months,

of two Gorkha battalions, the

costing the government Rs 2

Lakhimpuris under their new

A major expedition up the

lakhs, whereas the task could

Commandant, Captain Sir G

Dibong Valley to punish Mishmi

have been accomplished by just

Sutherland Dunbar, bolstered

200 Lakhimpuris.

The start of the Manipur Expedition from Shillong, Assam Frontier

The Manipur Outrage : Kangla Palace Gates

by a detachment from the Lushai

the Political Officer, Mr Noel

Hills Military Police, 27 pounder

Wiliamson and a Missionary, Dr

guns, a Brigade Signal Company

Gregorson. The column operated

and some 3000 Naga porters,

from a base at Kobo, for the

were sent up the Dibang Valley

preparation of which a strong

both to explore and survey the

detachment of the Lakhimpuris

territory towards the Tibetan

was made available.

Border to punish the Minyong Abors (around Pasighat) for

The operation lasted from mid

their treacherous murder of

October to mid December.

Carriers on the way to the Abor Expedition

There were periods of heavy

much less cost.

fighting, particularly when the

in Tibet. This party succeeded in cutting a bridle path up to

columns were ambushed and

During 1912-13, survey parties

Walong, after which the work was

when Abor stockades were

were pushed up the Dibong and

discontinued.

attacked. In the end, the Abors

Dihang Valleys and far into the

came to terms. The murderers of

Abor and Mishmi Hills, beyond

3rd Assam Rifles (Naga Hills

Williamson and Gregorson were

points never reconnoitered

Battalion)

taken into custody and severe

before. The security of these

punishment was inflicted upon

parties fell on the shoulders

When it became imminent that

the tribesmen. But the cost of

of Lakhimpuri escorts. The

the Military Police battalions

the operation raised quite a hue

battalion was also called upon

would have to be reorganized

and cry in the Indian and British

to provide protection for a survey

into three â&#x20AC;&#x153;territorialâ&#x20AC;? units

press. It was generally believed

and road building party sent up

of Frontier Police, it became

that the whole operation could

the Lohit Valley, the intention

obvious that the Nowgong

have been swiftly completed by

being to open up a trade route

Battalion, the senior unit would

the Lakhimpuris themselves at a

with South West China via Rima

be fully occupied with the Cachar

With baskets on their backs and well armed : The Abor Expedition

- Nagaland Border and the Naga

showed decided hostility. The

miles off) to find out the temper

tribes. It was already unofficially

fact being the people now

of the people. In October, 1879,

alluded to as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Naga Hills

realised the existence of this

with an escort of twenty-five

Frontier Policeâ&#x20AC;?. Finally, in

garrison (200 rifles) which

Regulars and sixty-five Military

1872, the Nowgong battalion

effectively stopped their head

Police, he passed through

moved to Nagaland. At first its

hunting and related pursuits,

Jotsoma and reached the foot

headquarters was established at

entailed payment of tribute,

hill on which stands Khonoma.

Samguthing, but in 1878, it was

the supply of men as transport

On arrival at the village gate he

shifted to Kohima.

carriers; and all this they

found it closed, and his demands

resented. In spite of evidences

for admittance were answered by

For a year all went well, till in

of unrest, such as an abortive

a volley which killed Damant and

May 1879, Damant the Deputy

attack on the post at Piphirna,

the sepoys with him. The Kohima

Commissioner found that the

Damant did not believe it was

Garrison had an uncommonly

large village of Khonoma was

likely to be serious, and before

unpleasant experience, being

collecting arms and ammunition,

starting out for a tour in the north

surrounded by some six to

and before long this section

he visited Khonoma, (twelve

seven thousand Naga warriors,

Apatanis leaving the valley after a night and morning of ritual preparation for the war

Warriors performing a dance before setting out with the Assam Rifles to attack Nyishis of Licha

Warriors camping in the Kiyi river valley

who spared no effort to fire the

Before starting his main assault

disturbances the Battalion at

thatched buildings and attacked

from the north, General Nation

last found the opportunity to

the stockade repeatedly by

sent a detachment of two

put into effect the reorganization

rolling heavy timbers forward

companies of regulars and 30

scheme of converting to a

along the ground behind which

men of the Frontier Police. 200

â&#x20AC;&#x153;territorialâ&#x20AC;? unit- the Naga Hills

they sheltered and fired.

Manipuri troops were positioned

Military Police Battalion. Under

on a flank for a similar purpose.

its first Commandant, Captain

General Nation was now directed

The fall of Khonoma was

Plowden ( A Bengal Cavalryman),

to assemble a force of 1,135

followed by the establishment

it settled down to make a proper

men with two mountain guns at

of a temporary post which was

cantonment at Kohima. At the

Golaghat, and in early November

eventually taken over by the

same time, Pipers were trained,

these moved forward and

Naga Hills Battalion.

later to give way to a 25-piece

entered the hills, not without considerable opposition.

band. After the settlement of these

Man and Woman, Mishimi Tribe Circa. 1925

The Mishmi Mission Circa. 1899

The next bit of “excitement” for

column reached Imphal. The

the Naga Hills Battalion came

three companies of the Naga

in the wake of the Manipur

Hills Battalion remained there

rebellion of 1891, in which the

for a few months, employed on

ruler of the state was deposed

guard and escort duties.

and the Political Officer and a number of other British Officers

The remainder of the decade

treacherously murdered by the

was comparatively peaceful.

Senapati of the Army, Tikendrajit

However in 1910-11 a long range

Singh. At the height of the

column went out to the area of

rebellion, the regular Indian

the Saramethi Range again to

Army stationed in Manipur was

punish the Aishan Kukis for their

dispersed and virtually chased

raids towards Somra. During the

out by the rebels of the Manipur

winter of 1912-13, the battalion

State troops. It was at this stage

supplied a number of escorts

that the Naga Hills battalion

for surveys of the Mishmi and

came into the picture.

Aka areas. They were the first to make contact with the people on

In a brisk engagement against

the Tibet Border. In the Aka area

Manipuri forces, the Military

the party traversed Tenga Valley

Po l i c e

had

and visited Rupa and Jamiri –

succeeded in capturing the

names that were later to become

border post at Mao Thana and

familiar to the Indian Army in

pursued the fleeing Manipuris

what later became Kameng

for nearly 16 kms. Later the

Frontier Division.

d e ta c h m e n t

T H E EN D STAT E

The task of pacifying and

jurisdiction; they could not

“friendliness” and a wide range

humanizing these primitive

stand unmoved on their frontier

of civic action projects, can be

hill people would have been

watching villages go up in flames,

traced in their intrinsic tribal

impossible had there not been

when by crossing a boundary

disposition - “Detachments of

at the command of the Civil

stream they could stop this

Military Police in the course of

Government a trained and armed

cruelty. By promptitude in action

their rounds have been known

force which could be employed

and steady pressure, peace was

to drop their official dignity and

in small detachments and

gradually established throughout

“let themselves go” in organizing

rapidly mobilized with minimum

(the) area … Men who had been

games for the entertainment

of transport. The annexed

accustomed to decorate their

of the people. They are proud

territories were garrisoned by

houses with skulls felt almost

of their battalion sports…

localized battalions of Military

content in using pumpkins for

(and) can gain almost as much

Police and the establishment

this purpose; and so instead

excitement in football and

of Military police outposts. To

of raiding villages of the open

hockey as by harrying a village

punish offending villages it was

country, they commenced to

and massacring its inhabitants.”

often necessary to proceed in

trade with them. Schools were

arms against them. And it was

opened.” Trade, the advent of

exceedingly difficult to confine

the missionaries and growth of

government intervention rigidly

education and all round progress

within the limits of the annexed

form part of the narrative of the

territory; for villages inside the

regional security corollary which

boundary line were sometimes

depended critically on the role

raided from the outside. The

played by the earlier personas of

most plausible and graphic

the modern day ‘Assam Rifles”.

explanation in this regard comes

Over time this conduced the

from Col LW Shakespear :

attempts towards geographic and cultural assimilation of

“…our officers could hardly

these independent tribes into

ignore atrocities that were

the ‘mainstream’. How the

perpetrated just outside their

Force came to be identified with

WORLD WARS & INTER WAR YEARS

Gurkha bombing party practising in a trench with live bombs near Merville, France.

WORL D WA R I

The extent and significance of

I, the identity of the Assam

fought in most theatres of war

the Indian Army in the World

Rifles or its precursors is

including Gallipoli and North

Wars is severely undermined

indistinguishable from the

and East Africa. In all 47,746

by the paucity of records. This

Indian Army, primarily because,

were classed as killed or

is despite the fact that India

during the World War I, Assam

missing with 65,000 wounded.

was heavily involved in the First

Military Police troopers were

It is estimated that 74,187

World War as a key contributor

part of the Indian Forces that

Indian soldiers died during the

to the allied forces and at that

fought for Britain in Europe

war.

time an important part of the

and Middle East.

British Empire. For a hundred

The significance of Assam Rifles

years, the story of this force

India raised the world’s largest

in World War I, is rooted in the

had been nearly forgotten —

volunteer armies: 1.5 million in

huge number of casualties

the narrative of World War I

WWI and 2.5 million in WWII.

sustained by the Indian Army.

has so far been predominantly

Indeed the casualties were so

white. World War I marked an

Indian troops were on the

heavy that the Indian Army

important watershed as for the

Western Front by the winter

Reserves could not cope with

first time, Indian soldiers were

of 1914 and fought at the first

the number of reinforcements

fighting on European soil. They

Battle of Ypres. By the end of

required. Gurkha Regiments

fought in all the major theatres

1915, they had sustained many

were the worst off in this respect

of war on land, air and sea,

casualties along with those

– because of the difficulty

alongside British troops. Their

from sickness. The decision

in calling up reservists from

many awards for bravery, as

was taken to withdraw the

distant villages in the Nepal

well as their war graves and

Indian Corps from front line

Hills. Short of Nepali recruits,

memorials on the battlefields,

duty at the end of 1915.

the British Indian Army turned

are testimony to their sacrifice in the service of Britain.

to the Assam Military Police In total, 800,000 Indian troops

for additional reinforcements

fought in all the theatres

for Gurkha battalions. The

It is important to note that in

of the war with 1.5 million

response was immediate

the context of the World War

volunteering to fight. They

and volunteers came forward

Gurkha soldiers at a canteen in France.

First line transport of a Gurkha battalion in France in overwhelming numbers.

69 other ranks received various

it really would have been all

Therefore even though Assam

honours and awards which

over as Britain’s Army was

Rifles did not participate in the

included 3 Indian Orders of

small and the many thousands

World War I as a battalion per

Merit, 5 Indian Distinguished

of men volunteering were not

se, it contributed over three

Ser vice Medals and 12

yet trained and in place.

thousand men from the force

Meritorious Service Medals.

to various Gurkha Regiments

The total casualties suffered

It was in recognition to the

of the Indian Army. Drafts

by Assam Rifles during World

excellent services rendered

and reinforcements were sent

War I included the death of 5

by the Force during World

to various affiliated Gurkha

Indian officers and 237 other

War I that in October 1917,

Battalions in France, Egypt,

ranks and injuries to 6 Indian

the government approved the

Gallipoli, Mesopotamia, North

officers and 247 other ranks.

redesignation of the Force as

Persia and the North West

“The Assam Rifles.”

Frontier of India. Official figures

The contribution of these men

include 23 Indian officers (now

was immeasurable: it could

known as JCOs) and 3174 men.

be argued that without the

Of these, 11 Indian officers and

prompt arrival of these forces, 43

Copies of some of the letters from various Commanding Officers of the Gurkha Regiments to whom Assam Rifles sent reinforcements during the Great War between January 1915 and the end of 1918, and which show the value of their services during that period. Copy of letter, No. 123/108/A, of 9th August, 1921, from the O.C 1st K.G.O. Goorkha Rifles to the I.G.P, Shillong.

Copy of letter, No. 1806/D.C./A.T., of 23-8-21, from the O.C. 2/7th Goorkha Rifles to the I.G.P. Shillong.

First photograph from above: Troops at a demonstration during the Non - Cooperation Movement Second Photograph: The boycott of foreign clothes in Colonial India

INTE R-WA R Y E A RS

The process of demobilization after the Great War saw the return of hundreds of Assam Rifles volunteers from the regular Army to their parent unit; as a result all Assam Rifles battalions found themselves grossly oversubscribed in NCOs and men. This inspired the raising of a fifth battalion. The new battalion was raised at Lokhra on 10 June 1920 and furnished the posts at North Lakhimpur, Harmati, Dikulmakh, Hathipaithi, Udalguri and Darrang. Since all these posts were located in hot and humid plains of North Assam, it was decided to set up a hill station post in Happy Valley, on the outskirts of Shillong, to permit a turn over of officers and men from the posts in the plains for rest and recreation.

DE PLOYM EN T S AG A IN ST NAT IONA L IST S

The fifth battalion’s first call of

also provided signalers to assist

duty was to provide aid to civil

the Railway system to keep its

authorities in suppressing riots

telegraph lines open.

and disorders connected with

strikes had been staged. Meanwhile the terms of service for the men of the Assam Rifles

Mahatma Gandhi’s Non

The Assam Rifles continued

had also been improved, mainly

Co-operation Movement of

to be deployed against fellow

as a reward for their sterling

1921-1922, a task which was

Indians since the Independence

services during the Great War. In

disliked by the troops because

Resolution of 1929 which later

1922, the men’s pay was raised

that amounted to acting against

flared into the Civil Disobedience

from 9 to 11 rupees per month

one’s own people.

Movement. Detachments from

and the system of making a

all battalions were dispatched to

man pay for his kit was replaced

In Assam, the nationalists

Sylhet, Calcutta and Chittagong.

by a kit being issued to them at

instigated riots at various places

Between 1931 and 1938 the

government expense.

and organized strikes in the

First Battalion in Silchar was

tea gardens and on the Assam

constantly called upon to send

Bengal Railway and Assam

detachments to Sylhet and

Rifles were frequently called out

surrounding areas – including

in aid of the civil authority. It

the tea gardens in which mass

First photograph from above: Moplah prisoners go to trial Bottom Left Photograph: 2nd Dorsets to deploy from Baird Barracks, Bangalore to Malabar Bottom Right Photograph: Moplah Prisoners

MOPL A H REBEL L ION 1923 saw about 650 men drawn from all the battalions and dispatched to quell the Moplah rebellion in Rampa State Agency near Waltair on the request of Madras Presidency. The troops went by sea to Narsapatnam under the command of Major Goodall (Commandant Second Battalion) and then inland to the scene of disturbances. The troubled area was extensive and densely forested. Goodall decided to replicate the strategy earlier used during the Kuki operations. He divided the area into a number of sub areas , each with a mobile column, fixed posts and ‘I’ staff. When the men got to know the ground, they were able to flush the insurgents out of their hidings. After a number of skirmishes, the rebel leader was killed and his confederates either killed or captured. Three Indian officers were awarded the King’s Police Medal.

A F F I LIAT ION TO G U RKHA RIFL ES In 1924, as a further recognition of the services rendered by the Assam Rifles in World War I, as a second line reserve, all the then existing five Assam Rifles battalions were permanently affiliated with the following groups of Gurkha Rifles:

1 Assam Rifles to 2nd Group (2 & 9 Gurkha Rifles) 2 Assam Rifles to 5th Group (7 & 10 Gurkha Rifles) 3 Assam Rifles to 1st Group (1 & 4 Gurkha Rifles) 4 Assam Rifles to 4th Group (5 & 6 Gurkha Rifles) 5 Assam Rifles to 3rd Group (3 & 8 Gurkha Rifles)

SUBEDA R M AJOR ST EPS U P Another notable development

often rewarded with prestigious

was the parity accorded to the

titles of “Rai Bhadur”, “Sardar

Subedar Major of the Assam

Bahadur” and “Khan Bahadur”.

Rifles with that of the regular

Some of the inspiring Subedar

Army. The Subedar Major of

Majors of this era were, Subedar

the Asssam Rifles often had to

Major Jamaluddin of 3 AR, who

discharge greater responsibilities

was awarded Order of British

than his counterpart in the

India, and accorded the title

regular Army, because of the

“Khan Bahadur”in January 1924;

limited authorization of British

Subedar Major Jangbir Lama

officers in the battalions. He

of 2 AR who was accorded the

was the

veritable “Indian

title “Sardar Bahadur” the same

Commandant” in the absence

year; Subedar Major Hetman Rai

of the officers who were often

of 4 AR received the title of “Rai

out on tours and expeditions.

Bahadur”.

The British officers realized their importance and groomed them accordingly. Their services were

Rai Bahadur and Khan Bahadur Medals

R A N I G A IDIN L IU

An interesting saga of this period

and self-determination with

and convicted on a charge of murder,

features Rani Gaidinliu who

the larger national movement

waging war against the British crown

is missing from Indian history

gaining ground in India.

and sentenced to life imprisonment

textbooks.

Through armed resistance, she

but later released.

quickly transformed a religiousGaidinliu was born on January

indigenous rebellion into a

Another noteworthy operational

26, 1915 at Nungkhao, a village

revolutionary movement for

activity of the era includes the task

in Manipur. She was sixteen

independence. The Empire

of providing escorts to Survey of

when she became the leader of

fearing the spirt of defiance,

India party that proceeded to the

the Heraka movement after its

launched a manhunt for the

unadministered area between the

charismatic leader Jadonang

16-year-old rebel leader. The

Naga Hills and the Burma border.

was executed by the British.

Assam Governor-in-Council

There was no resistance, but the

While the Heraka movement

authorised the overwhelming

operation was one of the most

was long aware of the civil

force of the 3rd and 4th Assam

taxing and arduous one.

disobedience movement in

Rifles and the entire Manipur

For her contribution

British India, it was Gaidinliu

Police Force. After a year long

in the independence

who first used Gandhijiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name

search and capture operations,

and identified her peoplesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Gaidinliu was arrested on

struggle against oppression

October 17, 1932. She was tried

struggle, Government of India awarded her by releasing postage stamps in the year 1996.

Mompunga, a Lushai Chief and Mr Murray a political agent, taking the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oath of Friendshipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

C ON S OL IDAT ION OF T RIBA L A REAS

The Great War had interrupted

In the Lushai Hills, the Zongling

the process of consolidation

area drew three separate visits

of tribal areas. Even though

by the Superintendent of the

the government had been able

Lushai Hills during 1925-26, each

to extend its writ to most of

escorted by the men of the first

the tribal areas of Assam, the

battalion. Eventually, in 1931-32,

process was far from complete.

Zongling was incorporated in the

However the operations were

Lushai Hills District. Thereafter

resumed and there were several

two platoons of the battalion

expeditions launched in this

were employed in supervising

phase.

the construction of a road linking Lungleh with Sherphor, near Zongling.

In 1925, two platoons from 3 AR, provided an escort to a survey party to the border of Sibsagar District, penetrating into areas that had not been visited for many years.

The action in Pangsha village

SU PPR ESSION OF H EA DH U N T ING A N D SL AV E T R A DING

Chingmak, the Chief of Chingmei, with the breast tattoo of a head-hunter. Circa. 1936

Headhunting has been a practice

Garos, Khasis, Nagas, and Kukis-

responsible for 200 deaths in the

among the Naga tribes of India

formerly were headhunters

last 6 months : they had raided

and Myanmar. The practice was

including the Mizo of the Lushai

Kejuk within the Control Area and

common up to the 20th Century

Hills who also hunted heads of

taken 53 heads : they had raided

and may still be practised in

their enemies.

Saochu, also within the Control

isolated Naga tribes of Burma.

Area and taken 188 heads ; and

Many of the Naga warriors

In April 1936, Mr Mills, Deputy

they had been selling captives

still bear the marks (tattoos

Commissioner, submitted a

as slaves. Though Pangsha was

and others) of a successful

report on the behaviour of

outside the Control Area, their

headhunt. In the North East

Pangsha, a Kalo Kenyo Village

conduct had been such that Mr

India, all the people living south

in Tribal territory outside the

Mills advised that an expedition

of the Brahmaputra River -

Control Area. They had been

be sent against them.

Major Williams and Assam Rifles soldiers preparing for the expedition to Pangsha Circa. 1936

Major Williams, J P Mills, Mr Smith and several Nagas on a platform Circa. 1936

A slave family freed during the expedition

J P Mills with a freed slave child

Circa. 1936

The Government of India

it was reported that Sanglao had

participation in the slave trade

approved the launch of

obeyed Government orders,

but for its head-hunting raids on

expeditions and the operations

“Nokhu and Pesu remained

its neighbours.”

took place between November

obstinate.” The expedition

13th and December 13th, 1936,

left Mokokchung on the 1st

An account of the inter war years

with Mr Mills in political charge

November 1937 and by the end

would not be complete without

and Major W R B Williams, in

of the month all the slaves known

referring to the aid given by

command of the escort of two

to be in the unadministered area

the Force to civil authorities in

platoons of the 3rd Assam

were set free without any casualty

times of natural disasters. In

Rifles. A series of expeditions

on own side. Mills’ Report of 30th

June 1929, during a period of

escorted by the third battalion

January 1937 to the Government

torrential rain, Aizawl became

were mounted in 1936 to end

of India commented as follows:

completely isolated because of

both the heinous practices that

“The expeditions completely

landslides in surrounding areas

of slave trade and headhunting

achieved its objects in effecting

and widespread damage to the

in that region. Throughout the

the release of several slaves

road links. The Superintendant

rainy season constant attempts

taken as captives and in inflicting

of Lushai Hills called on the

were made to get the villages to

on Pangsha a well merited

Assam Rifles for assistance. Four

release their slaves, but although

punishment not only for its

platoons of the First Battalion

From left to right: Mr Smith, Christoph Von F端rer-Haimendorf, J P Mills and Major Williams in Mokokchung, Nagaland Circa. 1936

cleared 28 miles of road in six

to their own area, the men

weeks; other parties were sent

constituted large parties to aid

to clear 25 miles of river passage

the civil authority in fighting the

below Sairang. Most of the

floods in other areas of Manipur.

men employed in these tasks contracted miasmal fevers and subsequently had to spend long months in hospital. Manipur was also visited by heavy floods that year. The lines of the Fourth Battalion were under three feet deep water. Besides undoing the damage

C ONC LUSION

The Force performed very

for restoration of law and order

and large-hearted manner. It

commendably in the World War I.

in Patna in 1917 and also against

is, therefore, not for nothing,

It provided officers and soldiers

the Moplah rebels in 1924.

that the famous and erudite

to the various British Indian Army

anthropologist and naturalist,

Gurkha Regiments, a process,

The AR along with the Church,

Verrier Elwin has bestowed on

which over the years resulted,

have managed to transform

them a singularly significant

into permanent affiliations of

pre-historic

animalistic

sobriquet: “The Friends Of The

the battalions of AR to different

societies of the North East from

Hill People!” This is what he has

groups of the Gurkhas. They

the stone-age to space-age in

said of them in tribute:

fought shoulder to shoulder

three or four generations. Their

alongside regular army troops

humane and tactful handling

“The custodians of law and

in the Middle East and acquitted

of the inhabitants of our far-

order, the pioneers of every

themselves creditably, bagging

flung regions and tribal areas;

advance into the interior, the

numerous decorations in the

be it during the initial era of

guardians of our borders and

bargain. Later on, men were

pacification, or in the immediate

the friends of the hill people.

provided to the army columns

post-Independence period of

Modestly, and without fuss,

engaged on punitive expeditions

political turmoil, instability,

they have faced every hardship

into the erstwhile Assam Hill

ethnic tribal aspirations and

and difficulty, and thousands of

Districts and North Eastern

resultant disturbed conditions.

villagers in the wildest of areas

Frontier Agency (NEFA) and also

The AR troops have managed

think of them with affection and

some in trans-border reprisal

to win the hearts and minds of

gratitude.”

missions into Burma. It was used

the populace in a good natured 59

Images from World War II

WORL D WA R II

Assam

Rifles

remained

patrolling the border; escorting

volunteers while the third and

practically insulated from

administrative officials to

the fourth made available 100

World War II until the danger

remote

assisting

men each – to their respective

of Japanese invasion made it

them to establish them the

affiliated units in the Gorkha

imperative to deploy forces in

government’s writ among the

Brigade.

the North East Sector as well.

recalcitrant tribals; the internal

WW II saw the force functioning

security duties in Digboi and

This time, however, their service

as elements of the much fabled,

Tinsukia to protect the oil

would be undertaken closer

hush-hush and ghost-like “V”

installations against threats of

to home. After the lightning

Force, on reconnaissance and

sabotage amidst another surge

Japanese advance in 1942, the

harassment missions behind

of civil disturbance. Training

Assam Rifles fought a number

Japanese lines in Burma.

became a priority and more

of independent actions behind

Many of its sub units fought

importantly, intensive jungle

enemy lines, as the task of rear-

alongside regular British and

warfare was incorporated in

area defence and rear-guard

Indian troops in the fiercely

the training of the Assam Rifles

often fell to them during the

contested battles of the Burma

during this relative lull.

Allies retreat into India. Later,

areas;

Front from Ukhrul to Kohima.

as a large influx of refugees fled

Units rendered yeoman service

The first faint impact of the war

from the advancing Japanese

in the management, evacuation

was felt in early 1941, when in

into India, the Assam Rifles

and control of refugees of

a throwback to the Great War,

were given the task of managing

Burma/NEFA in the face of

demands were received for

and organising this mass of

the onslaught of the Imperial

the transfer of the volunteers

humanity.

Japanese Army in the First

from the Assam Rifles to the

Burma Campaign of WWII.

regular Gorkha battalions. As on the previous occasion,

Until the latter half of 1941, the

the response was immediate

Force remained preoccupied

and enthusiastic. By April, the

w i t h the n o rmal cho re s:

second battalion had sent 203 61

R E C EPT ION OF BU RM A REFU G EES

Japan entered the 2nd World

Tony Mains had been leading

The Assam Rifles played an epic

War with simultaneous attacks

the Field Security Division in

role in assisting the refugees,

on Pearl Harbour and Northern

a Rangoon of numerous fires,

both civilian and ser vice

Malaya. On December 23, 1941

stray snipers and much looting.

personnel. All battalions had

came the first Japanese air

It was plain that the Japanese

sent detachments for this

attacks on Rangoon. Successive

Army would soon appear and

purpose to the various entry

raids prompted thousands of

refugees from elsewhere began

points from Central and North

residents to leave the city in the

to stream through towards

Burma. The personal accounts

hope of reaching India. Tavoy

the Indian border by foot or

of some of the beneficiaries

fell in mid-January of 1942,

whatever primitive means of

of this massive humanitarian

and on January 20, Mandalay

transport one could manage.

campaign speaks eloquently

sustained a 3-day intensive

about the role of the Assam

raid which sent thousands

The Fourth Battalion of Assam

Rifles. Dr Krishnan Gurumurthy,

more into flight, as fires raged

Rifles, established a two platoon

whose family was seeking

for a radius of 20 miles. On

reception centre at Tamu to

refuge from Burma writes, “Our

February 15, Singapore fell, as

organize the rush of suffering

reception in India was in sharp

the Allies continued to fight

humanity and to provide what

contrast to our journey through

delaying operations in Burma.

succour it could. Another such

Burma. Spontaneous relief and

On February 17, a turning point

centre was established by the

assistance was forthcoming...

arrived as the Sittang Bridge

Battalion in the Sita area. The

to make our life as comfortable

was blown in order to block an

rest of the unit was engaged

as possible. There was an air of

immediate Japanese advance

in organizing massive relief

sympathy and fellow-feeling all-

at the cost of hundreds of

operations at Imphal; the Third

round. They arranged free food,

Allied soldiers left on the

Battalion’s help was co-opted

accommodation, travel and

Japanese controlled bank. On

for the onward movement of

medical care... From Imphal, we

March 1, the military and official

refugee columns to Dimapur

were taken to Dimapur (then

focus continued to be one of

via Kohima. When the burden

in North-East Frontier Agency)

retaining Rangoon, but Gen

of work increased, additional

by bus. The travel took the

Sir Howard Alexander arrived

platoons from the Second

whole day through the Naga

and immediately ordered

Battalion of Assam Rifles was

Mountains and was very tiring.”

preparations for a complete

sent to assist the Naga and

Major Ronald James Anderson

Allied withdrawal. By this time,

Manipur Battalions.

writes in his book titled “The

Troops inspect Japanese bombs on captured hill Troops walking through a Burmese town. “Scraggy”, Burma, 1944

Retreat from Mandalay”, “By

uniforms were milling around

keep moving and staying alive

trying to introduce some sort of

our small party made it to Tamu,

order. Tents littered the scene

where I was put in a truck, and I

and the weather was overcast

remember the name of Imphal

and cold... After all I had been

being mentioned, but I am not

through and all I had seen it

sure. I do remember finding

was not the reception I would

myself in the officers mess of

ever have expected.”

the Assam Rifles in Kohima. I had done it, I had reached the town of Dimapur in the Indian state of Manipur, the railhead town for Calcutta... Here I realised that my little group was not alone. There were in fact thousands of people who had made it out over the Naga Hills. Military personnel (from Assam Rifles) in clean, well starched

DHA I M U RT I

“V FORCE”

While the civil authorities were

Rifles. As part of this force,

(1200 kilometres), from the

busily engaged in organizing

Assam Rifles platoons were

Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal.

refugee

General

used as covering forces during

V Force was envisaged as a “stay-

Headquarters in Delhi was

the later stages of the Burma

behind” force. If the Japanese

frantically trying to establish

Campaign. Other elements

had invaded India after the

a force in North Eastern India

fought in the defensive “boxes”

monsoon season ended late

to repel a possible Japanese

around Kohima, whilst another,

in 1942, V Force was to harass

invasion. And the first troops

from the 4th Battalion trained

their lines of communications

General Wavell turned to, were

as airborne troops and were

with ambushes and sabotage,

the operationally deployed

dropped near the Sittang River

and to provide intelligence

Assam Rifles battalions under

behind Japanese lines. The

from behind enemy lines. The

the IG Police of Assam. Thus

1st Battalion, as part of Lushai

first commander of the force

it was then that the Force

Brigade was sent ahead of the

was Brigadier A Felix Williams,

came to be projected on to

rest of the force to provide

formerly the commander of the

the strategic scene of India’s

resistance in the Chin Hills.

Tochi Scouts, a paramilitary

r e l i e f,

defence at such a crucial

unit on the North-West Frontier.

period of imperial history.

V Force was a reconnaissance

When the Army failed to provide

“Wavell therefore decided to

and intelligence-gathering

the 6,000 rifles it had promised

organize a force from the hill

organisation established by

to V Force, Williams arranged

people along the 600 miles

the British during the Burma

for weapons manufactured by

of India’s eastern frontier to

Campaign in World War II. In

gunsmiths in Peshawar to be

undertake guerilla operations

April 1942, when the Japanese

delivered.

against the Japanese lines of

drove the British Army from

communications, should they

Burma and seemed likely

The force was organised into six

pass through the area.”

to invade India, General Sir

area commands, corresponding

Archibald Wavell ordered

to the Indian Civil Service

This group became known as

the creation of a guerrilla

administrative areas, which

“Victor Force” (or sometimes

organisation which was to

in turn corresponded to the

V-Force), and the nucleus of

operate along the frontier

ethnicity of the inhabitants

it was formed from platoons

between India and Burma.

of the various parts of the

made up of men from the Assam

This frontier ran for 800 miles

frontier. Each area command

Capt May with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;V Forceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

had a Commander, Second-

planters. Even one woman, the

frontier north of it, and Arakan

in-Command,

Adjutant ,

anthropologist Ursula Graham

Zone to the south. Detachments

Quartermaster and Medical

Bower, was appointed an

in Tripura were disbanded as

Officer, four platoons (about

officer in V Force.

they were deep inside India

100 men) of the paramilitary

and unlikely to be threatened.

Assam Rifles and up to 1,000

The Japanese did not invade

An American organisation later

locally enlisted guerillas or

India in 1942 as had been

took over the northernmost

auxiliaries.

feared. V Force was able to

areas around Ledo.

consolidate itself in the wide The area commanders and other

area between the Allied and

When the Indian Eastern

officers were rarely Regular

Japanese main forces. Bases

Army carried out a small-

Army officers; the qualification

and outposts were set up,

scale invasion of Japanese-

for appointment was more

standing patrols instituted

occupied Arakan in early 1943,

often

knowledge

and intelligence gathered and

V Force provided a degree of

of the local language and

collated. By the end of 1943, the

warning about the movements

peoples. Some commanders

force had been reorganised into

of Japanese reserves to the

were police officers, former

two main zones: Assam Zone,

threatened area.

civil administrators, or tea

including Imphal and all the

expert

The Second World War saw

was dropped near the Sittang

the Assam Rifles undertaking

River behind Japanese lines.

miscellaneous roles. It was

By the time the war ended,

tasked to organise a resistance

officers and men of all the five

group on the Indo-Burmese

battalions had distinguished

Border to counter the Japanese

themselves by displaying high

invasion and to disrupt their

professional excellence and

lines of communication. The

great valour. As a testament

whole concept was contained

to the performance of Assam

in Plan Number V, and the

Rifles men during the war,

Resistance Force, so formed

members of the unit received

and organised, came to be

forty-eight gallantry awards.

known as V Force. The Assam

These included: 3 Members of

Rifles, which formed the

the British Empire, 5 Military

nucleus of this Force, coveted

Crosses, 4 Orders of British

itself with glor y for the

India, 1 Indian Order of Merit,

exemplary performance of its

13 Military Medals, 15 Indian

platoons. They fought gallant

Distinguished Service Medals

independent actions far into

and 7 British Empire Medals.

Burmese territory behind the enemy lines and later fought doggedly in the defence boxes established along the line from Kohima to Ukhrul. As a part of the V Force, a number of Assam Rifles platoons acted as covering forces both during the defensive and the offensive phases of the operations in Burma. One of the platoons of the 4th Battalion was also trained as paratroopers and

P O ST WA R A N D IN DEPEN DENCE

The World Wars afforded

Rifles in the World Wars and

into contact with the Indian

several opportunities to the

their list of awards however

National Army, and, “above

Assam Rifles to prove their

had proved otherwise. Another

all, now had access to large

worth as a full fledged fighting

reason which supported their

numbers of modern arms…”

force – both in guerrilla role

affiliation with the Army was

This hastened the decision

and as frontline sub units

that they had had been trained

to recall the first, third and

fighting a modern war. The

and had acquitted themselves

fourth battalions from Army

long list of gallantry awards

admirably in the art of guerrilla

Service who became part of

won by them and eventual

warfare – which benefitted the

the civil police under the Assam

defeat of the Japanese on the

forward policy on the northern

Inspector General of Police.

Burma front testified to their

frontier and that “… it is almost

combat capabilities. However

inevitable that if trouble again

In the period following the

their future was still vague and

arose…the Assam Rifles would

I n d e p e n d e n ce , ba t ta l i o n s

amorphous and the subject of

be called upon to provide a

reverted to their former para-

debate. Sir Olaf Caroe, who

useful supplement to any other

police status which also

had served in the Indian Army

forces employed.” The IG Police

entailed reduction of rank and

during World War I and was

of Assam recommended the

pay. Furthermore, the strength

now an administrator in the

linking of the Assam Rifles with

of the battalions, which had

ICS, advocated for the Force to

the Assam Regiment as a sort of

been increased to 16 platoons ,

“follow the road taken in earlier

“Light Regiment… constituted

was again brought down to 14.

days by the Piffers and become

for mixed military and civil

And the Assam Rifles was hit by

members of the Regular Army”,

duties.”

shortage of officers in the wake

possibly the Assam Regiment.

of the departure of the British

Others favoured their reversion

The debate was deadlocked

officers. To ease this, a new

to a purely police force

for a long time. Meanwhile,

scheme of engaging “contract

officered by police officers on

the Assam Government feared

officers” was introduced.

the plea that “their standard of

another Kuki uprising- more

Under this scheme, released

training did not allow of their

vicious then the previous

Emergenc y Commissioned

being used in any role other

one - because many of the

officers and officers promoted

than the purely local one”.

Kukis had collaborated with

from VCO rank were posted

The performance of the Assam

the Japanese, and come

to the battalions on a three

Lt Col Sidhiman Rai, MC

year contract basis. With this,

Akbar Hydari, an experienced

Emergency Commission in the

the Force had to go back

administrator, took personal

Assam Regiment wherein he

to the system of supplying

interest in the affairs of the

was awarded the MC on the

rations to the men through

Force. In the midst of all the

Burma front.

ration contractors, a system

controversy that was raging

which did not work well in

between Delhi and Shillong

the interior areas where road

regarding the future status

communications were poor

of the Assam Rifles, it was Sir

and rations had to be sent by

Akbar Hydariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farsightedness

porters. It was truly a period of

that

setbacks for the Assam Rifles.

arriving at a balanced and

helped

greatly

appropriate compromise and These setbacks however did

consequentially, a series of

not hold them from their

organizational changes.

dedication to duty. In 1946-47, two platoons of the second

The

most

immediate

battalion escorted the Assistant

organizational change in Assam

Political Officer, Mr James, to

Rifles after independence was

the Mc Mahon Line up the

the separation of Assam Rifles

Siang Valley. The aim of the

from the police. Accordingly,

expedition was to discourage

on 17 September 1947, HG

Tibetan officials from intruding

Bartley, CIE, IP was appointed

into British - Indian territory.

the first Inspector General of

The mission was successful in

Assam Rifles, directly under the

that many such officials were

Governor of Assam.

Sir Akbar Hydari

induced to go back to Tibet without resort to force. The

Mr Bartley retired from the

column returned in February

service soon after and Lt Col

1947.

Sidhiman Rai, MC took over as the first Army Officer and the

It was fortunate for the Assam

first Indian IGAR, in the rank of

Rifles that the first Indian

Colonel. Col Rai, originally an OR

Governor of the state, Sir

in 10 Gurkha Rifles was granted

HG Bartley

Nehru led a campaign for the development of tribal areas in the economic, social, political and intellectual fields.He laid down certain guidelines for the upliftment of tribal people which would later be helpful in the framing of government policies towards the tribal areas. The ethos of Assam Rifles was moulded by Pandit Nehruâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tribal Policy.

T RIBA L POL ICY

S o o n a f te r I n d i a ga i n e d

North-East. ‘All this North-

further autonomy. However,

independence, some of the

East border area deserves our

Nehru clarified that this did

Christian missionaries and

special attention,’ Nehru said

not mean that the government

o t h e r f o r e i g n e r s s ta r t e d

in October 1952. ‘Our contacts

would countenance secession

promoting sentiments in favour

with them will do us good and

from India or independence

of separate and independent

will do them good also. They

by any area or region, or

states in North East India. The

add to the strength, variety

would tolerate violence in the

virtual absence of any political

and cultural richness of India’,

promotion of any demands.

or cultural contact of the tribals

Nehru further emphasised.

in the North-East with the

The Assam Rifles troops and

political life of the rest of India

A reflection of Nehru’s policies

t h e go v e r n m e n t o f f i c i a l s

was also a striking difference.

was in the Sixth Schedule of

working in tribal areas of the

The struggle for independence

the Constitution, which applied

North East had a special role to

had little impact among the

only to the tribal areas of Assam.

play in the process. Due to their

tribals of the North-East. To

The Sixth Schedule offered a fair

continuous deployment in the

quote Jawaharlal Nehru: “the

degree of self-government to

North East region, Assam Rifles

essence of our struggle for

the tribal people by providing

was identified more closely

freedom was the unleashing

for autonomous districts and

with the local inhabitants

of a liberating force in India.

the creation of district and

than any other force operating

This force did not even affect

regional councils, which would

in the region. Hence in the

the frontier people in one

exercise some of the legislative

years to come, independent

of the most important tribal

and judicial functions within

India’s government had to

areas.’ Again: ‘thus, they never

the overall jurisdiction of the

rely more and more on Assam

experienced a sensation of

Assam legislature and the

Rifles for extending Indian

being in a country called India

parliament. The objective of the

administration and government

and they were hardly influenced

Sixth Schedule was to enable

policies into the remotest

by the struggle for freedom or

tribals to live according to their

corners of the North East.

other movements in India.”

own ways. The Government

The ethos of the Assam Rifles

of India also expressed its

was thus moulded by Pandit

The tribal polic y of the

willingness to further amend

Nehru’s Tribal policy.

Government of India, inspired

the constitutional provisions

by Jawaharlal Nehru was

relating to the tribal people if

therefore even more relevant

it was found necessary to do

to the tribal people of the

so with a view to promoting 75

N E FA NORT H EAST FRON T IER AG ENCY

North Eastern Frontier Agency

progressive administration

the ‘soft approach’ proved

(NEFA) was an anthropological

has here created a situation

insufficient on many occasions

and

unparalleled in other parts of

when it became unavoidable to

India.’

resort to military confrontation.

socio-political

test

case for Nehru’s and Verrier Elwin’s policies. NEFA (present Arunachal Pradesh) was created

The

met

with

in 1948 out of the border areas

considerable success

with

of Assam. NEFA was established

the steadfast support of

as a Union Territory outside

Assam Rifles whose personnel

the jurisdiction of Assam

shouldered the burden of

and placed under a special

administrative activity. They

administration. From the

a l o n e w e re t ra i n e d a n d

beginning, the administration

equipped to endure the early

was manned by a special

years of hardship when the

cadre of officers who were

North Eastern Frontier Agency

asked to implement specially

Administrative Service was still

designed

in its infancy.

d e v e l o p m e n ta l

exercise

Dr Verrier Elwin

policies without disturbing the social and cultural pattern of

It was unfortunate that the

the life of the people. Verrier

enlightened approach to the

Elwin, a British anthropologist

developments of tribals – the

who spent nearly all his life

essence of Pandit Nehru’s and

studying the tribal people

Elwin’s “Philosophy for NEFA”,

and their condition, wrote in

could not be executed in the

1967, ‘A measure of isolation

entire North East. In many parts,

combined with a sympathetic

the government faced tribal

and imaginative policy of a

unrest and rebellion. Therefore

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru visits NEFA

T H E EA RT HQUA KE

View of a broken bridge during the earthquake of 1950, Assam

In 1950, there was a major

that fateful day, unleashing

was severely shaken. The

earthquake in Assam within

its fury and devastation for

earth cracked and opened

the living memory and this

full five vicious minutes. The

up at many places, damaging

also became a critical year in

effects on the mountains were

roads and bridges. The floods

the history of the Assam Rifles.

terrific. Rocks roared down

that followed immediately

The epicentre of this great

all around while mountain

washed away ferr y ghats

earthquake was located north

sides were stripped off the

and marooned innumerable

of Rima just across the border.

forest covering. Practically

villages. The National Highway

Therefore, though se vere

every tributary of the Lohit

was submerged for miles on

shocks were felt all over Assam,

from the river downwards was

end and with the railway line

they were of the maximum

shocked by rock avalanches

damaged at various places,

intensity in the Mishimi and

forming innumerable lakes

Sadiya was completely cut off

Abor Hills of the Sadiya Frontier

which ultimately broke their

from the rest of the world. The

Tract which were the closest

barriers causing devastating

Assam Rifles lines at Sadiya also

to the epicentre and also

floods in the low lying area of

suffered severely. Most of the

close to the outposts of 2AR.

the plains. Lower down, the

barracks and family quarters

It came shortly after dark on

area in and around Sadiya

had either collapsed or become

View of submerged town in Assam. The photos depict the extent of devastation caused by the floods following the earthquake.

unsafe due to severe damages.

started repairs to their buildings

For days after the earthquake,

Assam Rifles outposts up in

and also work on tracks in a

there was no news about the

the hills reported damage to

desperate bid to link up with

three Assam Rifles and Military

buildings and properties in

the Battalion Headquarters

parties marooned in the Lohit

varying degrees. At Riga and

and with each other. The result

Valley tracks at the time of

Walong, the Assam Rifles posts

was that within a short time,

the disaster, and of those

had completely collapsed. At

though after very heavy toil, the

who were standing guard at

Denning all the buildings had

Assam Rifles were able to open

some of the remote outposts

either collapsed or were badly

all the important tracks in the

near our borders. It was due

damaged and a new stream was

Mishimi and Abor Hills. Even as

to the heroism of the Officer-

now flowing through the camp,

the Assam Rifles themselves

in-charge of our last outpost

dividing it into two. There were

struggled for existence, under

at Walong in the Lohit Valley

however no casualties. After

the impact of the devastation

and his men, that contact was

the initial shock was over, the

caused by the earthquake,

at last established with these

Assam Rifles recovered quickly

the y rendered invaluable

marooned parties, as also with

and the best in every man

help to the civil population.

Mr. Kingdon-Ward, the famous

came to surface. Wherever

Great tributes were paid to the

botanist-cum-explorer, who

the Assam Rifles men were

Assam Rifles for their splendid

was trekking near the Tibetan

located in the affected areas,

work and here is the extract

border at the time of the

they immediately began to

from the statement of the then

earthquakeâ&#x20AC;?.

reconstruct buildings, roads

Chief Minister of Assam, Shri

and tracks on their own

Bishnuram Medhi:

initiative. At Sadiya they put shelters for their homeless

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The splendid work of the

families within 24 hours of the

Assam Rifles during this

earthquake. Similarly all posts

emergency deserves mention.

NAG A U PRISING 1955

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehruâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visit to Kohima, 1953

The

World

Wa rs

had

Rifles men were ambushed and

leader did not try to find out

tremendous impact on the

killed, government buildings

the wishes of the Naga people.

Nagas. During World War I the

and houses of loyal Nagas were

The same year nine police

Naga members of the Labour

set on fire, telephone lines were

outposts were opened in the

Corps brought money and

cut and bridges destroyed. One

Naga Hills. Action against the

dresses, but World War II was

of the worst acts of violence,

NNC members was intensified.

fought in Nagaland itself. Nagas

which took place in November

Different Acts, including the

were introduced to modern

1954, was the massacre of fifty

Assam Disturbed Areas Act

guerilla fighting which was

seven villagers of Yimpang

1955, were imposed to enable

natural to them. The dumps of

by men of Pangsha Village in

the armed forces personnel to

arms and ammunition left by

Tuensang area in retaliation

carry out their difficult task. In

the retreating Japanese Army

of the murder of a dak runner,

1956, army units were deployed

provided ready material to be

who was the son of the village

in important towns like Kohima

used against the security forces

headman of Pangsha.

and Mokokchung.

On March 30, 1953, Jawaharlal

A s ra i d s a n d a m b u s h e s ,

By the beginning of 1953, the

Nehru visited Kohima and

pa r t i c u l a r l y i n Tu e n s a n g

situation in Nagaland had

was greeted with derision.

Division, continued despite the

turned volatile. Phizo toured

That was another unhappy

induction of more platoons of

the district and exhorted the

episode. The Naga leaders

Assam Rifles and one battalion

people not to pay taxes. Assam

maintain that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Indian

of the UP Special Armed

later.

Sub Maj Kharka Bahadur Limbu, AC

Lt Col Man Bahadur Rai, AC

1962

Constabulary, it was decided

Powers) Act or AFSPA 1955,

to call in the Army.

later amended in 1972.

By this time, the strength of

This resulted in a charged

underground Nagas increased

atmosphere with increasing

and the situation was becoming

militant activity and NNC

tense. As recurring acts of

propaganda against India. The

Naga violence and the counter

Union Government declared

violence of the state forces

an official policy of handling

increased, Assam Rifles was

the Naga crisis more forcefully.

given the task of bringing back

Nearly two divisions of the Army

normalcy and securing the

along with several battalions of

atmosphere in the Naga areas.

the Assam Rifles were deployed

The Force was equipped with

in Naga areas. The Assam Rifles

the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Assam Disturbed Areas Actâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

suffered many casualties but

imposed on Naga areas on 27

also won a large number of

August 1955, and later called

honours and awards, including

the Armed Forces (Special

two Ashok Chakras Class-I.

Dalai Lama being received in India by the Assam Rifles after his escape from Tibet

ESCA PE OF DA L A I L A M A

Sporadic uprisings against

checked. At Chuthangmu

Assam Rifles escorted him to

the Chinese for some years

the Dalai Lama’s bodyguard

the present official bungalow of

culminated in a large-scale

surrendered their arms to the

Deputy Commissioner Tawang

rebellion in Lhasa in March

Indian authorities, and the

where he stayed for three

1959. The revolt was sought

Assam riflemen became the

nights, “ringed by a unit of the

to be crushed while the Dalai

Living Buddha’s escort…”

Assam Rifles”.

1959 for an unannounced

After crossing Kin-Ze-Mane,

As a token of appreciation for

destination. The description

His Holiness Dalai Lama was

the services rendered by the

of His Holiness’s escape

received at Chuthangmu Post

Assam Rifles, the Dalai Lama,

from Lhasa in Dom Moraes’s

by 5 Assam Rifles and the

ver y graciously presented

timeless book “The Revolt in

people of Monyul on 31st March

his personal weapons to the

Tibet”, and particularly his

1959. He then stayed for one

Assam Rifles. These weapons

onward journey after crossing

night each at Gorsam, Shakti,

are proudly displayed in the

over to India refers to Assam

Lumla and Thongleng. He was

Training Centre (ARTC&S)

Rifles for conducting him to

received by the then abbot of

a s m e m e n to e s . H e a l s o

safety – “A strong detachment

the Tawang Monastery and

bestowed on them his warm

of Assam riflemen was sent to

Government officials on 5th

and affectionate blessings,

the border checkpost to ensure

April 1959.

which indeed seem to have

Lama left Lhasa on 17th March

the safety of His Holiness, who

prophetically presaged their

was urged to lose no time in

Another account refers to his

exponential growth : “May your

leaving for Tawang. The North

journey from Bomdila by a

luck increase to the size of a

East Frontier Agency was sealed

jeep some seventy miles to

mountain. May your fame be

off, only accredited officials

the foot of the hills, where

such as to cover the whole sky.

and the local population being

just across the border “was an

May your knowledge become

allowed entry. Private traffic

Assam Rifles post known as

vast and deep as the sea long

was banned in the foothills

“Foothills”, which controlled

and healthy lives to you and

region of Assam State, and

the border separating NEFA

hope your work for others, will

identity cards were rigorously

from the State of Assam. The

be a success.”

His Holiness Dalai Lama’s Blessings for Assam Rifles

ENGLISH TRANSLATION “May your luck increase to the size of a mountain. May your fame be such as to cover the whole sky. May your knowledge become vast and deep as the sea, long and healthy lives to you and hope your work for others will be a success.”

An Indian Army Post immediately after the news of Chinese Aggression in the North East, 1962

CH IN ESE AG G RESSION

However, the episode also

This set in motion the process

border patrol and killed three

precipitated the beginning of

of giving some attention at last

of them. On 8 September 1962,

China’s antipathy for India and

to the border defence against

when the Dhola Post manned

a slew of posturings which still

the Chinese threat.

by a sub unit of Assam Rifles

rankle our bilateral relations.

was encircled by the Chinese,

After the Dalai Lama’s flight to

Sometimes in early 1962,

the men retaliated valiantly but

India and the highly provocative

orders came from Army HQ

had to withdraw when they ran

Chinese statements against the

for “Operation Onkar”, which

short of ammunition.

political asylum given to him in

directed all Assam Rifles posts

India, it should have become

to move forward, right upto the

These two incidents while

apparent that India’s Northern

border. They were to be backed,

reaffirming the necessity for

borders

urgent

of course, by the Army. The

physically occupying the Indo-

attention. There was a report

idea was to establish the right

Tibetan Border also indicated

prepared many years earlier in

of possession on our territory

beyond doubt the Chinese

1951, by the late Lt Gen Kalwant

and to deter the Chinese from

determination to evict them

Singh on the defence of our

moving forward and occupying

by force to assert that the

Northern borders which was

it, as was claimed by them.

territory was disputed. It was

needed

ignored by the establishment

evident therefore that Assam

as was the Chinese rejection of

As should have been expected,

Rifles would have to have

Panchsheel Agreement.

the Chinese reacted. The first

effective backing of the regular

serious action took place on

Indian Army if they were to

Towards the end of August 1959,

8 September 1962 when they

hold on to their posts against

an Assam Rifles post at Longju

surrounded an Assam Rifles

Chinese attacks. Consequently,

in the Subansiri Subdivision of

post at Dhola on the Namka

HQ 4 Infantry Division with two

NEFA (now Arunachal Pradesh)

Chu River in the North West

brigades was moved into NEFA

and another one in Ladakh

corner of Kameng. This set

and all Assam Rifles posts were

were overrun by the Chinese

the inevitable ball in motion.

placed under the operational

in an obvious show of force

On 25 August, the Chinese

control of this Division.

to convey a message to India.

ambushed an Assam Rifles

Images from the Indo - China War in 1962

Following this, the Government

vagaries of the weather and

insurgency and reassuring the

of India launched what later

on the availability of the

people of the region became

came to be known as the

aircraft … The Assam Rifles

important tasks for the security

“For ward Policy” – which

had been allotted 34 new posts

forces and initially they fell to

entailed the establishment of

to be manned by 24 platoons

the Assam Rifles before the

of Assam Rifles and Army posts

squeezed from the Assam Rifles

Army assumed control, and

all along the Mcmahon Line.

battalions deployed in NEFA…

then later their experience

Meanwhile an extra battalion,

The Signals resources having

and goodwill in the region was

17 Assam Rifles was raised to

been stretched beyond limit,

drawn upon in order to assist

relieve elements of the third

there were frequent wireless

the Army in conducting these

brigade of 4 Division located

breakdowns and many posts

tasks.

in Sikkim.

remained out of contact with their headquarters…”

Pakistan chose this period to

The fateful year 1962 dawned

flare up the Tripura border. 6

as the Army continued with its

Severe

resource

crunch

Assam Rifles was ordered to

hectic activity to implement

and lack of preparedness

open five posts on Tripura’s

Operation Onkar, the codename

notwithstanding, the Assam

border with East Pakistan.

for the deployment of forward

Rifles was tasked to

delay

In September 1962, patrols

posts along the Indo- Tibetan

the advancing Chinese forces

from Pakistan Rifles violated

Frontier. “The Assam Rifles

so that the Indian Army could

the disputed territory, where

were in the forefront of the

establish its defence lines.

previously a status quo had

deployment” writes Maj Gen DK

During this time and since

been accepted by both the

Palit, “strung out on or near the

then, the Assam Rifles also

countries. The skirmishes

border in self contained posts,

maintained their peacekeeping

continued till 18 October, when

often on inaccessible heights,

role in the northern areas of

a ceasefire was arranged and

unsupportable tactically, and

India in the face of growing tribal

both sides withdrew from the

unmaintainable operationally,

unrest and insurgency. In this

disputed area.

except by air drops - which

environment the maintenance

of course depended on the

of law and order, countering

Indian troops forming a man-tow for artillery over rough mountain terrain, Indo - China War, 1962

Meanwhile, a force of two to

by the men of Assam Rifles,

three hundred Chinese troops

as at Khenzemane and in the

surrounded the Assam Rifles’

Walong Sector. In proportion

position at Nam Ka Chu, in the

to the number of personnel

Thag La Ridge about seven

deployed under the Army,

days march west of Tawang.

both the casualty rate and

The situation escalated in no

the awards for the gallantry

time and on 20 October, two

were among the highest. And

Chinese brigades mounted a

if it is remembered that the

massive attack. Simultaneous

Assam Rifles fought under less

attacks were mounted against

favourable circumstances, their

the Indian defensive posts

performance becomes truly

and localities in Ladakh and

remarkable.Furious battles

Kashmir. In NEFA, the Assam

were fought leading to massive

Rifles faced the brunt of the first

casualties on the Chinese side,

onslaught along all the invasion

but eventually the war was lost.

routes, the Kameng Sector, the

The American magazine, TIME,

Central Sector of NEFA and the

facing the lack of preparedness

Walong Sector.

of the Indian Armed Forces, wrote, “The Indian (Army)

The contribution made by the

needs almost everything except

Assam Rifles to the overall war

courage.”

effort in NEFA and the gallantry of individual officers in the war effort in NEFA, once again proved the military value of the Force. Some of the most determined resistance offered during the border battles were

AS S A M R I FL ES DU RING IN D O - PA K WA RS

India had its largest haul of Pakistani tanks when the offensive of Pakistan’s 1st Armoured Division was blunted at the Battle of Asal Uttar, which took place on 10 September near Khemkaran. The biggest tank battle of the war came in the form of the Battle of Chawinda, the largest tank battle in history after World War II. Pakistan’s defeat at the Battle of Asal Uttar hastened the end of the conflict.

The Assam Rifles were not

Sikkim, during this period.

directly involved in the Indo-

Uniyal came under heavy fire from about 300 Chinese while

Pak War of 1965. However,

There were two confrontations

moving along the Chhamdo

as the bulk of Army was

with the Chinese in 1965. One

hill. The patrol returned the fire.

withdrawn from Nagaland and

of the patrols from 17 Assam

However, the odds were against

Manipur, the responsibility for

Rifles challenged a Chinese

the Assam Rifles patrol because

the maintenance of law and

patrol that had intruded into

it soon ran out of ammunition.

order in these states devolved

Sikkim. The Assam Rifles patrol

Just then Lt I S Sirohi who was

mostly on the Assam Rifles.

took up positions to prevent

patrolling from 17th Battalion’s

While maintaining vigil on the

the Chinese from advancing.

post at Giagong rushed to

border, 6 Assam Rifles had a

The Chinese also took up

the rescue, having heard the

number of skirmishes with the

positions and both the patrols

sounds of firing. Sirohi engaged

East Pakistan Rifles and the

remained facing each other

the enemy from suitable fire

mujahids. In 1971, the Force

from 9 AM that day to 4 AM the

postions to enable Lt Uniyal’s

was tasked to prevent the

next morning, after which the

patrol to withdraw. In the

infiltration of Mizo hostiles from

Chinese patrol withdrew.

meantime, Capt GS Bajwa had

East Pakistan. Though Assam

also rushed to the battle with

Rifles did not have any direct

The first clash of arms occurred

thirty men from Kerang Post.

involvement during Indo-Pak

on 12 December,1965, when

Wars of 1965 and 1971, it had

an Assam Rifles patrol of a

Lt Uniyal and six others were

face-off with Chinese Army in

platoon strength under Lt MD

killed in this action.

C HAU KA N PASS EXPEDIT ION

Chaukan Pass has been noted

was found to be of tremendous

by Col LW Shakespear as one

economic potential with its

of the most inaccessible and

fertile soil, abundant growths of

inhospitable areas in the

good quality cane, bamboo and

erstwhile NEFA (now Arunachal

timber, and traces of bitumen,

Pradesh). Several expeditions

coal and sulphur. The IGAR’s

undertaken since 1885 had to

Mahatma Gandhi’s bust at Gandhigram

socio-strategic vision was to

be abandoned because of the

at Sidi

set up a model village with

harsh terrain and weather. In the

decided to lead an expedition

a market and some centrally

wake of the Chinese ingressions,

to the Chaukan Pass himself.

controlled projects such as

this area was perceived as

Accordingly, an expedition

a saw mill, poultry farming,

one of tremendous strategic

nicknamed Srijitga II was

piggeries and dairy farms.

importance. An attempt was

organized to reconnoiter land

made in June 1960 by Jemadar

routes to the Chaukan and

The region was inhabited by the

Dam Bahadur Limbu of 7 Assam

Hpungan Passes to establish an

Lisu tribe. The Lisu originally

Rifles but had to be abandoned

Assam Rifles post at a suitable

migrated from Myanmar and

due to bad weather. Major

place from where foreign

were ‘discovered’ in 1961 by

Sumer Singh made yet another

intrusion could be checked.

Major General Guraya during

attempt to reach Chaukan Pass

his Chaukan Pass expedition,

in February 1961. Modifying the

This massive effort led to the

leading to the settlement

earlier routes and supported by

taming of this unexplored area.

of 192 families of Nepali ex-

airdrops, the column reached a

This expedition justified Verrier

servicemen in the valley in 1965.

point just 22 kms North East of

Elwin’s portrayal of the Assam

Maintained by Air Force sorties

Chaukan Pass. Here he found

Rifles being “pioneers of every

throughout the year, Assam

a village named Sidi which he

advance into the interior” and

Rifles share their own rations

renamed Gandhigram and he

was filmed by the Government.

with the villagers when the

set about clearing a Dakota

In his recommendations, the

weather prevents the flights.

landing strip. However the

IGAR brought out the strategic

An Advance Landing Ground at

column could not proceed

importance of this area and

Vijaynagar was inaugurated in

further due to the monsoons.

the need for populating it

November 2011.

In October 1961, the Inspector

by encouraging settlements

General of Assam Rifles (IGAR),

preferably of ex servicemen

Major General Ajit Singh Guraya

from Assam Rifles. The area 93

EVOLU T ION OF T H E CREST

E X PA N SION OF ASSA M RIFL ES

The Force started with only

in December 1950, a high

September 1955.

750 men in 1835 and till

powered committee under

In the meantime, the rank of

India’s Independence in 1947,

the chairmanship of Maj Gen

Inspector General Assam Rifles

consisted of only five battalions

Himmat Sinh, the then Deputy

was upgraded to Brigadier in

which formed part of the Civil

Defence Minister with Maj

1949 and in 1955 Headquarters

Police under the Inspector

General Kulwant Singh, the

1 Sector, later called Manipur

General of Police, Assam.

Chief of General Staff was set

Range Assam Rifles and now

Independence of the country

up to examine the defence of

Headquarter 9 Sector, was

brought a plethora of changes

India’s Northern and North

raised under the command of

and in 1947, a full fledged

Eastern borders from Sikkim

Deputy Inspector General, Col

Inspector General of Assam

through NEFA, and from Assam

AS Bedi.

Rifles was appointed to head

to the Burma border. The

the Force.

Committee considering the

The growing expectations

broader aspect of roles of the

as well as discontentment

In 1950, the disposition of the

Assam Rifles, its place in Assam’s

amongst tribals in the North

Force was : 1 Assam Rifles in

administration, force level

East coupled with political and

Lushai Hills, 2 Assam Rifles and

and internal communication

social changes in independent

5 Assam Rifles on the Northern

stipulated that the Assam Rifles

India was leading to unrest

Border facing Tibet (China), 3

would be the most suitable

in various parts of the North

Assam Rifles deployed to take

paramilitary agency to take on

East i.e. in Nagaland, Manipur,

care of the Naga Areas, both in

the commitment in the North

Tripura and Assam.

the state of Assam and in NEFA

East.

and 4 Assam Rifles in Manipur.

In 1955, insurgency started in

At this time the old Tripura

Based on the recommendation

Nagaland and by 1956 it was

Rifles was being reorganized

of the Defence Committee, in

apparent that insurgency was

into 6 Assam Rifles.

addition to 6 Assam Rifles,

likely to continue and probably

which was already in the

would increase in intensity. The

In October 1950, the occupation

process of being raised out of

government thus decided to

of Tibet by China led to the

the erstwhile Tripura Rifles,

raise a number of Assam Rifles

exposure of the Northern

7 Assam Rifles was raised in

battalions on a permanent

Frontier open to a potential

October 1952 followed by the

basis at the rate of two new

Chinese threat . Therefore

raising of 8 Assam Rifles in

battalions per year from 1956

to 1959. Thus, by 1959 the

Thus, Headquarters Nagaland

mm Light Machine Guns and 9

Force had a total seventeen

Range (South) (the present

mm Sten Guns. The old World

battalions, which after raising

Headquarter 5 Sector) was

War II vintage Radio Sets were

were deployed in various parts

raised in April 1959 followed

discarded and better Radio

of the North East.

by Mizoram Range (the present

Sets made indigenously were

Headquarter 23 Sector) in

introduced. By the beginning

Meanwhile, improvement in

September 1960 and Nagaland

of 1971 the Key Location Plans

firepower, communications and

Range (North) (the present

of all units started getting

administrative arrangements

Headquarter 7 Sector) in July

finalized. In October 1972, the

were also made. The centralized

1963.

Inspector General Assam Rifles

system of supply of stores, arms,

was appointed the Ex-Officio

ammunition and equipment

In 1961, a formation sign for the

security advisor to the North

through Army Ordnance Depots

Assam Rifles was introduced.

East Council. This appointment

also commenced. To meet the

continued to be held by the

growing communication needs,

After the Indo China War of

later Director Generals of Assam

an Assam Rifles Signals Unit

1962, in which again the Force

Rifles till 2013.

(ARSU) was raised in Shillong. In

proved its worth, further

1957 two Pioneer Companies,

expansion took place. In 1965

When the cadre review of the

out of which only one remains

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 66, 18 Assam Rifles and 19

Army was carried out in 1979,

and now designated as the

Assam Rifles were raised. On 1

the rank of the Inspector

Assam Rifles Construction

August 1965, the administration

General Assam Rifles was

and Maintenance Company

of NEFA was transferred from

raised to Lieutenant General

(ARC & MC), were raised for

the Ministry of External Affairs

and the designation changed

the purpose of construction

to the Ministry of Home Affairs

to Director General. The first

as well as maintenance of

and to that of the Assam Rifles.

Director General of the Force

operational tracks as well as

In 1966, there was a sudden

was Lt Gen Sushil Kumar, PVSM.

construction of temporar y

outbreak of insurgency in

The Assam Rifles expanded

accommodation for troops.

Mizoram and two more Assam

further from twenty one

The rank of Inspector General

Rifles battalions, 20 Assam

ba t ta l i o n s to t h i r t y o n e

Assam Rifles was upgraded to

Rifles and 21 Assam Rifles were

ba t ta l i o n s b et w e e n 1 9 8 5

Major General in 1958. In order

raised in 1968. In 1968, all units

and 1988 and some more

to exercise effective command

of the Force were equipped

controlling headquarters were

and control, more controlling

with a new family of small

raised including Headquarter

headquarters were needed.

arms i.e. 7.62 mm Rifles, 7.62

Inspector General Assam Rifles

(North) on 15 May 1985 under

new generation equipment of

the command of a Maj General;

that era.

Headquarter Tripura Range (the present Headquarter 21 Sector)

Unlike the Indian Armyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

in July 1985; Headquarter B

Infantry units that are rotated

Range (the present Headquarter

from field to peace stations, the

10 Sector) in September 1986

Assam Rifles followed a system

and Headquarters Assam

of permanent locations for its

and Arunachal Range (the

units. However, this has been

present Headquarter 25

reviewed from time to time

Sector) in October 1986. All

and the system of periodic

Range Headquarters were

turnover for AR Battalions

commanded by Army Officers

mulled over and executed on an

of the rank of Brigadiers on

experimental basis. The Force

deputation. Simultaneously,

now follows periodic rotation

with the expansion of the Force,

of its battalions between four

many ancillary establishments

grades of stations. The Force,

came up. Assam Rifles Training

however, continues to be

Centre and School started in

deployed in the North East in

January 1959 in Misamari and

entirety.

was shifted to Dimapur in 1962. In the year 2001 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2002, two more battalions were raised. The turn of the century also saw the induction of 5.56 mm INSAS and 7.62 mm Assault Rifles, Automatic Grenade Launchers, Sniper Rifles, Riot Control Grenade Launchers, Global Positioning System (GPS), Night Vision Devices, Bullet Proof vehicles, jackets and patkas and many other

View of the DGAR Headquarters, Laitkor, Shillong.

T H E ORG A N ISAT ION TODAY

The highest Headquarters of

Rifles battalions spread over

sustaining body funded purely

the Force, “Directorate General

the entire North East. The

through the Ministry of Home

Assam Rifles” is located at a

battalions are commanded by

Affairs. The selection, training

small hill town called Laitkor in

Army Colonels on deputation

and induction of troops is being

Shillong. It is the only Central

to Assam Rifles. The bulk of

handled in a limited manner by

Para Military Force which has

these battalions continue to be

the Force while the bulk of its

its headquarters away from

deployed for counter insurgency

requirements is met through

the capital (New Delhi). For

in the hinterland while some

the Staff Selection Commission.

coordination with Ministry of

of the battalions stand guard

Home Affairs under which the

covering over one thousand six

Force is functioning, the Force

hundred kilometers of the Indo

maintains a Liaison Office in

- Myanmar Border.

New Delhi supervised by an Army Officer of the rank of

The

equipping

and

Colonel on deputation.

maintenance of the Force, w h i c h wa s ea r l i e r b e i n g

The Assam Rifles today stands

managed through the Army

at over sixty six thousand

Ordnance Depots is now being

force strength. It has three

carried out through the four

Headquarters Inspectorate

Maintenance Groups Assam

Generals – North, South and East

Rifles. The communications

located at Kohima (Nagaland),

and Information Technology

Imphal

and

cover is also being internally

Srikona (Assam) respectively

managed through the Assam

commanded by officers of the

Rifles Signal staff and the

rank of Major Generals. Under

Assam Rifles Signal Unit. All

these are the twelve Sector

logistics support is being

Headquarters commanded by

handled through a chain of

Brigadiers, administering the

Headquarters right down to the

troops deployed on ground

posts. Thus the present scheme

as part of the forty six Assam

makes the Assam Rifles a self

(Manipur)

Manning Norms / Composition

was Lieutenant General Sushil

Nepalese, viz Limbus, Rais

of officers

Kumar, PVSM from September

and Moormis. Meanwhile, the

1979 to December 1981.

composition of each battalion

Initially when the Force was

was made three fourth of

raised, civilian officers of the

The present Director General

Gurkhas and approximately

district concerned were in

is the twenty ninth Inspector

one fourth of Jaruas.

charge of various Levies and

/ Director General of the Force

Militias. Once the designation

since independence.

was changed to Military Police,

After World War I, recruitment in the Force was standardised.

police officers were sent to

Junior Commissioned Officers/

The Gurkhas formed the base of

command the battalions.

Other Ranks

the Force and constituted about

However, the nature of the

seventy per cent. Garhwalis

duties of these battalions

The first unit of the Force raised

and Kumaonis constituted

was such that police officers

in 1835 as the Cachar Levy,

another twenty per cent and

were not found suitable and

had its entire strength made

Jaruas, Lushais, Nagas, Kukis

hence procedure of sending

up of draftees from Bengal.

constituted the remaining ten

Army Officers on deputation to

The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jorhat Militiaâ&#x20AC;? raised in

per cent. It will, therefore, be

Military Police Battalions (the

1838 had mostly local Shans.

seen that hundred per cent of

forbearers of Assam Rifles)

During 1850, Captain (later

the Force was recruited from

from 1884 onwards started. At

Major) Butler (the second

the various hill tribes of India,

present the Force is officered

commandant of the Cachar

who fitted well with the local

mostly by the Indian Army

Levy) wanted a more suitable

tribals of the North East and

deputationists with about

lot for the job, hence he started

had Nepali as the Regimental

twenty percent strength of

the intake of Nepalese, Shans

Language (certain technical

officers being made up by the

and Cacharies to replace the

and specialised categor y

Assam Rifles Cadre officers. The

existing soldiers.

of personnel were from the

Force is headed by an officer of

other parts of the country). In

the rank of Lieutenant General

From 1850 to 1871, attempts

1982 the recruitment policy

on deputation from the Army

were made to enlist various

was changed to meet the

and designated as Director

tribes of the North East in the

reservations as promulgated

General Assam Rifles.

Force. However, only Jaruas

by the Government of India.

and Cacharies were found

Apart from this the Force today

The first Inspector General of

suitable. In 1891, a Recruiting

follows about twenty percent

the Assam Rifles at the time

Depot was opened at Purnea,

of induction being reserved

of independence till 14 Aug

near Darjeeling Hills (later

for the North Eastern states

1948 was Mr HG Bartley, CIE, IP

shifted to Darjeeling ) for

and the balance from the rest

while the first Director General

the recruitment of Eastern

of the country. The Junior

Commissioned Officers and the Other Ranks of the Force thus are purely from the Assam Rifles with very few deputations from the Army. The rank structure being followed by Assam Rifles is similar to that of the other para military forces.

101

COUNTER INSURGENCY, BORDER GUARDING AND PEACE K EEPING

The credibility of Assam

in the Northeast - effectively

pockets of civil populace and

Rifles in counter insurgency

coordinating political and

vested interests. An important

is based on a comprehensive

militar y

and

adjunct of Counter Terrorist

strategy which had evolved

effec tively balanc ing the

operations has been the launch

in the wilds of the North East

militar y and non militar y

of meaningful civic action

and tested in various national

instruments

projects.

and international theatres.

I n s u rge n c y. D u r i n g t h e i r

The Assam Rifles leadership

long service they have found

Some of the notable operations

adopted a “multi-pronged

themselves operating in various

in recent past are being covered

approach against a multi-

theatres, including Sri Lanka

briefly in this chapter.

dimensional threat,” that is,

and Jammu and Kashmir.

a comprehensive approach

In its chequered history, it

much before

western

has met with unprecedented

world could discover and

success, displaying sagacious

emphasise an indirect military

audacity and adaptibility rarely

approach, with ‘the military

paralleled in the history of

taking a more supporting role

Counter Insurgency.

the

strategies

Counter

in a predominantly ideological, political, and diplomatic

The analysis of each operation

response.’

reveals care and precision in terms of effective domination been

and hard intelligence despite

in the forefront of the

a hostile environment, viz,

counterinsurgency operations

adverse local media, partisan

Assam

Rifles

has

105

NORT H EAST IN DIA

A major operation which is

‘Operation Parinda’, was carried

was adorned with a Shaurya

regarded as a landmark was ‘Op

out by troops of 1 Assam Rifles in

Chakra in this operation.

Hifazat’ launched in Manipur,

the face of hostile natives in May

displayed

consummate

2013, who had granted shelter

In another heavy gunfight in

leadership and ingenuity, and

to the militants of NSCN (IM).

January 2014, faced by another

the efficiency of effective and

Two militants were killed and

column of the same battalion,

vibrant intelligence network.

two apprehended following a

Maj Vikas Kumar, Rifleman

Led by Maj D Sreeram Kumar

gun battle in an inhabited area.

Chamanlal and Sub Sitaram

of 32 Assam Rifles, 12 militants

Both the militants were killed at

Pradhan sucessfully neutralised

w e re e l i m i n a te d a n d 2 3

close range which speaks of the

two NSCN (IM) cadres and

terrorists apprehended in this

raw courage and the caution

apprehended four with several

operation. 12 weapons were

of the young leadership who

weapons, ammunition and

recovered and Maj Sreeram

risked their lives to get close

cash.

Kumar was awarded the Ashok

to the armed militants. Maj MS

Chakra.

Ghumman of 1 Assam Rifles

Another five militants were

this OGW which led to the

23 AK 47 rifles, one LMG and

apprehended in March 2014,

apprehension of more OGWs

CBAR of US origin, to name

in “Operation Kunsa”, in an

and one IED fabrication expert

a few. This was followed up

operation based on

hard

forming the IED transportation

by ‘ Op Blue Chip” in March

intelligence gathered by the

and planting network of PLA.

2013, which was led by the

same battalion.It was led by

Further interrogation of these

Commandant of 26 Assam

the JCOs of the unit.

apprehended persons revealed

Rifles, Col Prethyush Pillai and

the cache of the remaining IEDs.

Maj C Vidhyadharan who had

A slew of operations carried out

The battalion launched another

earlier led the ‘Op Ujjwal’. It

by 1 Assam Rifles reveals a well

search operation and three

led to four apprehensions and

coordinated effort by all the

crude remotely controlled IEDs

recovery of a whopping 23 AK

sub units. In “Operation Anand”,

were recovered. This relentless

47 rifles, in addition to one

one of the injured militants

operation called ‘Op Blasthunt’,

CBAR, one LMG and a huge

surrendered on the spot by

spanned over 96 hours and

quantity of ammunition.

raising his hand. Eyewitnesses

led to the busting of the IED

say the militant was spared

network of the PLA which

Massive recoveries were also

even while the encounter was

potentially saved numerous

recorded by 16 Assam Rifles in

on and administered first aid by

lives.

the foothills of Chingdai Ridge

the RMO of the battalion.

in January 2014. This was Another successful operation

followed by the recovery of 40

The contemporary history of

based

kgs of Ganja in Jalenbung.

the Assam Rifles is replete

processing of int, was ‘Op

with se veral instances of

Songdai II’, launched by Capt

It is quite palpable in each

compassion and sympathy

Aby Mathew of

26 AR on

operation that the junior

sometimes at great risk to the

the

Indo-Myanmar Border

leadership is not just a trigger

officers and men.

in December 2014 which led

happy band, but is guided

to the arrest of three arms

by caution and discretion to

traffickers from Myanmar.

avoid collateral damages and

In October 2014, 2 Assam

professional

Rifles and Thoubal Police

inconvenience to the common

Commandos were able to

‘Op Ujjawal’

was

apprehend one hardcore OGW

s p e c ta c u l a r o p e ra t i o n i n

of PLA who transported the

which hard intelligence and

IED utilised during the blast in

the presence of mind led to

Imphal. Follow up operation

phenomenal recoveries of

involved interrogation of

weapons and ammunition;

107

another

masses.

Recoveries and kills in Jammu & Kashmir

JA M M U & KASH M IR

In 1990, the situation in many

huge group of Pakistan trained

the ‘Chief of Army Staff Unit

parts of J&K had considerably

anti national elements

Citation’ as well as a ‘Silver

worsened and additional

general area Talel, the battalion

Salver’ from the Governor of

forces were required. As the

carried out a counter infiltration

J&K. The battalion earned 71

situation in the North East was

operation, initially with two

awards including a Sena Medal.

relatively stable, the Central

companies and later with an

7 Assam Rifles operated in

Government decided to use

additional company. During

J&K from April 1990 to May

Assam Rifles battalions in J&K.

counter infiltration operations,

1992. In their 25 month stay

Eight Assam Rifles battalions

the troops tracked the militants

in J&K, the battalion killed

viz. 3, 7, 10, 18, 21, 23, 26 and

in thick forests and engaged

200 ANEs, apprehended 222

28 were deployed in J&K from

them in gun battles at different

and 74 ANEs surrendered. The

April 1990 to January 1998.

locations. The Intelligence Cell

battalion captured 28 RPGs,

This period was a golden era

and Interrogation Team of the

29 UMGs or GPMGs, 409 Rifles

for the Force as all battalions

battalion did a commendable

AK 47/ 56 and 175 pistols/

o f t h e Fo rce p e r fo r m e d

job by extracting useful and

revolvers along with 1.08 lakh

creditably. It is a record in itself

accurate information from the

rounds of AK 47, 5,144 rounds

that out of eight Assam Rifles

apprehended ANEs which led

of pistol/revolver ammunition,

battalions employed in J&K,

to a series of operations. One

465 hand grenades, 6 anti-

two battalions were awarded

militant was killed and

tank ammunitions, 77 anti-

the `COAS Unit Citation’ and

Pakistani trained militants were

personnel mines and many

one battalion was awarded the

apprehended. The recoveries

o t h e r t y p e s o f a s s o r te d

Northern Army Commander’s

included 142 sophisticated

ammunition and explosives.

‘Unit Appreciation’ for their

weapons

RLs,

The battalion’s achievements

s u p e r l a t i v e p e r fo r m a n ce .

GPMGs, 7.62 mm and AK-56

were outstanding by any

Performance of each Assam

rifles, pistols, and also a very

standard. Major General OP

Rifles battalion in J&K is being

large quantity of ammunition.

Kaushik, VSM, GOC 28 Infantry

covered in brief.

The unit rescued Shri Puran

Division extolled the unit for

Chand, Deputy Superintendent

being “singularly responsible

26 Assam Rifles was the first

of Police, J&K Armed Police,

for eradicating the terrorist

unit of the Force to be deployed

after about 75 days of captivity

influence from Kupwara Sector”.

in “Operation Rakshak”. On 18

from village Dara in a joint

The battalion earned 92 awards

September 1990, based on an

operation with the Army. 26

including two KCs, one SC, ten

information of infiltration by a

Assam Rifles was awarded

SMs, one VSM. The battalion

including

109

After elimination of Abu Nandal, a PAK militant of HUA in Jammu & Kashmir

also received the Chief of Army

battalion liquidated 19 ANEs

Staff Unit Citation as well as a

and recovered a huge cache

responsible for the killing

Silver Salver presented by His

of warlike stores during their

of 17 (including five foreign)

Excellency General KVK Rao

tenure in J & K.

ANEs in various encounters,

(Retd), the Governor of J&K.

Assam

Rifles

was

26 apprehensions and six 18 AR assisted in successful

surrenders. Huge quantity of

23 Assam Rifles operated in J&K

conduct of State Assembly

arms and ammunition were

from July 1994 till December

elections and captured a

also recovered by them in the

1996. The unit was deployed

large quantity of arms and

Kupwara Sector.

in general area Bhaderwah

ammunition.

Tehsil of Doda District under

A total of 41 weapons and huge

HQ 4 Sector. The battalion

3 Assam Rifles

met with

number of ammunition were

performed commendably in

outstanding success in the

recovered from Guripura village

many operations in which

‘Seek, Encounter and Search’

in Kashmir in an operation

many ANEs were killed and

operation on 10-11 August 1996

codenamed

apprehended with arms and

at Village Wurapash in Tehsil

Cloudburst” in 1995 led by Capt

ammunition. The battalion’s

Ganderbal. Five hard core ANEs

Raghuraj Singh of 10 Assam

biggest catch was on 11 August

of which four were Pakistanis,

Rifles. In addition, 23 militants

1996, when Ashan Ahmed, self

were killed. One Pakistani was

belonging to the Jammu and

styled Deputy Provincial Chief

identified as Mudassar Jat alias

Kashmir Hizbul Mujahideen

of Hizbul Mujabidin (HuM) for

Saif of District Bahawalpur

had surrendered before the

Jammu Region, the highest

(Punjab, Pakistan), who was

unit.

ranked militant was killed . This

a Major of the ISI and was

success led to the unconditional

working as their commander

surrender of three more ANEs

for Srinagar District.

along with their weapons and other warlike stores. The

111

“Operation

B ORDER G UA RDING Assam Rifles has been deployed

Border development involves

for counter insurgency in North

infrastructural development

Eastern states, as well as for

including maintenance and

border guarding role along

improvement of roads and

Indo-Myanmar Border. The

other means of communication.

companies are deployed on

Assam Rifles is also mandated

all routes of ingress/egress to

to facilitate trans border trade

check infiltration, smuggling of

at Pangsau Pass, Moreh and

arms, ammunition, drugs, fake

Zokhawatar.

currency notes etc. The major tasks of border management

Presently, out of the 46 Assam

include border security, border

Rifles battalions, 15 are

development and monitoring

deployed in border guarding

of trans border trade. Border

role and the balance 31 are

security involves patroling

operating in Counter Insurgency

and effective sur veillance

tasks in all the North Eastern

through usage of state-of-art

states except in Meghalaya.

surveillance equipment for effective check on infiltration.

113

PEACE KEEPING In 1987 when the peace keeping

lagoons and fight them at close

tasks assigned to them with

operations got prolonged in Sri

quarters. The performance

tremendous dedication and

Lanka and the IPKF required

of the Force in Sri Lanka

professional zeal. Their conduct

reinforcements, they were

can be gauged from a letter

of civic affairs and maintenance

joined by three Assam Rifles

of appreciation written by

of peace and tranquility in

battalions between 1988-90

Brigadier (later Major General)

the most volatile area of Sri

namely, 22 Assam Rifles, 23

Shivaji Patil, UYSM to the

Lanka speaks volumes of their

Assam Rifles and 26 Assam

Commandant 22 Assam Rifles:

competence and devotion to duty. The firm and tactful

Rifles. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The tasks assigned to the

handling of numerous difficult

The 26 Assam Rifles operated in

Force in Sri Lanka as part of

situations earned them kudos

Batticaloa and Amparai areas

IPKF were varied and unique

from one and all.â&#x20AC;?

under 57 Mountain Division.

in nature requiring a ver y

23 Assam Rifles in Tellipalai as

high standard of discipline,

part of 54 Infantry Division and

tactical as well as professional

22 Assam Rifles in Trincomalee

competence and leadership.

under 72 Infantry Brigade. The

Even though they had never

boys quickly picked up Tamil,

performed such duties before,

and mastered watermanship

they quickly learned their

to chase the insurgents across

new job. They performed all

115

HA IT I M ISSION The Assam Rifles contingent

promote the political process

HNP on 27 - 28 Aug 14, during

has been deployed in Haiti

fo r s t re n g t h e n i n g H a i t i â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

which they apprehended the

since June 2010, as part of the

governmental institutions and

most wanted criminal of Haiti.

Formed Police Unit-2 (FPU-

rule of law.

2) under MINUSTAH (United

So far, five FPU-2 contigents of

Nations Stabilization Mission

The Contingent of Assam Rifles

Assam Rifles have successfully

in Haiti) on one year rotation

has won many accolades for its

performed their duties at Haiti

basis. The role of the Contingent

exceptional performance in the

and the sixth contigent is

is to serve with UN as per UN

UN Mission, the latest being a

presently deployed with effect

mandate to ensure a secure

special operation which was

from July 2015.

and stable environment for the

conducted at Jamaique IDP

government of Haiti in order to

Camp along with UNPOL and

C ONC LUSION Assam Rifles has experienced all

flexibility and self-adapting

care), facilitating employment

types of insurgency and counter-

mechanisms in every realm of

programs for youth, and

insurgency in variegated terrain

warfare, by deftly alternating

improving basic infrastructure

amongst various socio-ethnic

between peacekeeping and

(e.g. building roads). The

populations. Their capability

warfighting

capabilities.

preceding chapters testify to

over the last 180 years, has

Over the long course of their

the evolution of a professional

been calibrated by local factors

Counter Insurgency campaign,

culture with a versatile range of

which have groomed them to

the Assam Rifles have been

skills commensurate with the

operate relatively appropriately

involved in opening schools,

expanding role of soldiers.

in unfamiliar, ambiguous, and

providing training in new

d a n ge ro u s e n v i ro n m e n t s .

technologies,

They have exhibited great

social services (e.g. medical

117

delivering

TRAINING

T R A IN ING AT T H E ASSA M RIFL ES T R A IN ING CEN T RE A N D SCHO OL The Assam Rifles Training

such operations and has

two training battalions headed

Centre was established in

painstakingly kept its training

by Colonels with a capacity of

Missamari in June 1959 and

curriculum contemporary.

training almost two thousand

later, in the wake of the Chinese

recruits at any time. The ARTC &

aggression, shifted to Dimapur

The ARTC & S is poised to

S is designated by the Ministry

in 1962. It was renamed Assam

cross a landmark milestone

of Home Affairs as the Centre of

Rifles Training Centre and

in its history as it gears up to

Excellence for Jungle Warfare

School (ARTC & S) in September

train the two thousand strong

and the Centre & School boasts

1994.

women soldiers in a phased

of excellence in all fields with

manner with the first lot under

most modern training facilities,

training from April 2015.

next generation communication

Since its inception, the School has constantly evolved in

and Information Technology

stature and strength, in keeping

The Commandant of the

i n f ra s t r u c t u r e a n d m o s t

with the changing dynamics of

Centre is an officer of the rank

relevant teaching methods

insurgency and terrorism in

of a Brigadier, assisted by a

aimed at catapulting the

the country. The School has

Deputy of the rank of Colonel,

rifleman as a soldier of the

continuously incorporated

both on deputation from the

future.

all the lessons learnt during

Indian Army. The Centre has

123

T R A IN ING PH ILOSOPH Y The training is directed towards inculcating self discipline as a virtue in every soldier. Will power, self denial, self control and a value aided code of conduct are the defining pillars of self discipline. There is an emphasis on consistency of conduct - on and off parade- with or without supervision. The primary role of the Assam Rifles Training Centre and School is to train recruits in basic and specialist trades. Additionally, it provides on the job training to junior leaders and trained soldiers and conducts orientation courses for all newly posted Army Officers on deputation to the Assam Rifles. The Centre also trains the Commando, Firing, Equestrian, Boxing, Judo and Karate teams for the competitions at national level, the contingents for the Republic Day Parade and those selected for UN Mission and various competitions related to games and sports. In a noteworthy development, the Assam Rifles has commenced induction of women recruits for combat roles from April 2015.

PION EERS IN JU NG L E WA RFA RE

A film held by the Imperial

special reconnaissance and

in its training cycle in 1941 and

War Museum dated March

foster resistance groups. Other

indeed produced a pamphlet

1944, shows the Assam Rifles

units fought at Kohima and

on this subject for use in the

troops (later identified as 2

some were even trained as

entire Force.”

Assam Rifles) at Sadiya in

paratroopers. Since then the

Assam, engaged in multiple

Assam Rifles were the first

activities of jungle warfare.

Force of the Union in action

The synopsis describes various

during the 1962 Sino-Indian

activities of jungle warfare and

War and have been engaged

survival training and states,

in counter insurgency in some

“During the Second World

of India’s North Eastern tribal

War in Burma, the Assam

areas.” Col LW Shakespear has

Rifles formed the nucleus of ‘V

recorded , with a great sense

Force’, raised to raid Japanese

of pride, that “1 Assam Rifles

communications, carry out

had introduced jungle training

127

The relevance of the Assam

The inherent characteristic

on how to survive in the jungle

Rifles Training Centre and

of insurgency in North East

by studying its characteristics,

School has grown manifold

India is small scale low profile

dense vegetation with limited

with the mushrooming of

activities, with the main

visibility, crisscross of streams

small and big insurgent /

insurgent bases located across

& rivers, heat & humidity, few

terrorist groups in the country

the border. Hit and run tactics

roads, numerous tracks and

and worldwide. With its vast

executed by small units force

limited communication.

expertise in counter insurgency

a large deployment of armed

and counter terrorism training,

outfits to counter them. The

The normal schedule is about

it has truly come into its own

efficacy of deploying a large

thirty six weeks, during which

as a centre of excellence in

force under such circumstances

a soldier undergoes strenuous

such operations. Soldiers

is suspect as it is unlikely to

drills that make him conversant

receive training in identifying

produce desired results. Thus

with guerrilla warfare and low-

improvised explosive devices

learning to operate in small

intensity conflicts. The training

(IED), jungle survival, counter

teams, studying the pattern of

module is non-conventional

terrorism, and interrogation

the militants, establishing an

and once a soldier undergoes

techniques.

intelligence network, knowing

training here, he can face

their traditional sanctuaries,

deadly situations anywhere

The training focuses on physical

maintaining the element of

in the world in all-weather &

fitness, reflex firing techniques

surprise, selecting the site for

terrain, eat and sleep like a

and tactical lessons. The

counter ambush, observing

guerrilla and strike as silently as

module for training is practical

the discipline of when exactly

a guerrilla. The training module

oriented with number of

to open fire, knowing field craft

includes lectures, seminars and

lectures, discussions, case

and jungle craft well enough

mock operations in the rugged

studies, sand model exercises

to remain undetected, and

jungles. The trainees are also

and outdoor exercises. Live

improvising within a given

exposed to media interaction,

situations are painted during

situation, is the kind of stuff

civic actions plus fraternisation,

the outdoor exercises to train

that a soldier is trained for.

human rights and collection of

the soldiers to take instant

intelligence and their analysis.

decisions on the spur of the

Jungle operations test soldiers

Soldiers undergoing a course

moment. The troops are taught

to their limit which need

here not only go through

to live in difficult and hostile

special tactics, techniques and

rigorous physical training, but

terrain, eat and sleep like the

procedures. In this scenario

also tough mental training

guerrillas and strike as silently

soldiers are given physical

through lectures and problems

as the they do.

drills and common-sense tips

posed by instructors of the

129

school. An important part of the

training areas, training facilities,

training is to avoid collateral

with multiple firing ranges.

damage as much as possible. With precision shooting, the

The ARTC & S also conducts

soldiers engage in exercises

specialist training for technical

where live rounds are used to

trades, clerks, cipher personnel

shoot down mock terrorists

and signal operators. The ethos

inside homes and stores

of the training is imbibed

without hitting the civilian

through teaching of history of

population.

the Force and the constitutional provisions

Recruit

t ra i n i n g

under

which

merges

Assam Rifles operates. The

divergent trainees often from

programmes include training

different levels of culture and

of the Junior Commissioned

society into a useful team.

O f f i ce r s a n d o r i e n ta t i o n

A recruit is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;issuedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; basic

capsules for the Army officers

provisions - food, shelter,

posted on deputation to the

clothing - and equipment

Assam Rifles.

according to the requirements of the training and taught

Being earmarked as the nodal

responsible management of

agency for counter insurgency

these provisions. The training

training , the ARTC&S also trains

constitutes field craft, battle

members of other para military

craft, drill, physical fitness,

and police forces including

weapon training, reflexive and

those from some of the friendly

reactive shooting. Weapon

foreign countries from time to

training incorporates actual

time. Apart from this, it has

firing experience and virtual

also trained various batches on

simulation systems including

commando operations, basic

Small Arms Training Simulator

recruit training and handling of

(DRONA) and Infantry Weapon

specialist weapons and special

Effect Simulator System

operations.

(IWESS). Vehicle simulators and training mines are also used. The school boasts of excellent

131

G A M ES & SPORT S

The Assam Rifles, like any other

giant strides with the Force

military or para military force,

bagging podium finishes in

have a resilient bond with

almost all significant events.

games and sports primarily as

Wushu and Kick Boxing are two

a means of fostering espirit-

martial arts where the teams

de-corps,

have been giving an excellent

preparation for

combat , skills, toughness,

account of themselves.

the development of physical qualities of the war fighter

Games and Sports have also

such as the killer instinct,

been used to mobilize the

improvement of proficiency

local youth and wean away the

and also as a recreational

support for nefarious activities.

means. The presence of the

One of the most enterprising

various teams of the Assam

part of such initiative is

Rifles is felt at all national and

the conduct of the Annual

some international events.

Director Generalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Polo Cup at

The All India Police Duty Meets

Imphal by the Headquarters

have been the stage for many

Inspectorate General of Assam

accolades for the teams of

Rifles (South). This meets the

Assam Rifles.

local aspirations where this is a most popular sport and

Football, Judo and Equestrian

also plays a significant role in

teams have proved their mettle

fostering the bond between the

regularly at various levels.

Assam Rifles and the people of

Archery a relatively new sport

the North East.

for the Assam Rifles has taken

139

EPILO GUE The Assam Rifles has been known as a credible institution for

training, education, and

leadership development in a culturally attuned manner with the indigenous populations. Even as the Force continues with the capability development to meet the changes and counter threats capable of producing widespread chaos, successful future engagements w ill depend o n resilient soldiers and cohesive teams of conventional and special operations forces training and working interdependently. The Force continues to develop and implement innovative and effective training solutions, such as the socio-cultural leader development initiatives, and expand opportunities to access and shape training support services and products related to the culture, terrain, weather, infrastructure and demographics.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The smog gently floats over the valley in a vacuum left by the pause of violence; in the days that follow it is the Yaoshang festival. A quiet before the storm only to be pierced by gun fire. In the streets people scatter, shop shutters come rumbling down and all is once more quiet in anticipation of the next rattle of bullets... In Manipur death itself has become a spectacle.â&#x20AC;? - Akshay Mahajan, Photographer on the morbid atmosphere in Manipur in the wake of militancy

CONNE CT WITH TH E NORTH E A ST

“India’s North East has been

grievances of the tribe/ people

actively involved in civic action

the land of thousand mutinies”

against the administration. It is

programmes implemented to

says Wasbir Hussain, the

a different matter, altogether,

win the “hearts and minds” of

Executive Director of the Centre

that such popular support has

the people. Over the long course

for Development and Peace

eroded as insurgency gradually

of this campaign in the North

Studies, and amplifies its span

bordered on the extremes of

East, they have been involved

and scale as “South Asia’s

mindless violence.

in opening schools, providing

hottest trouble spots.”

training in new technologies,

attributes the complex conflict

Assam

Rifles

been

delivering social ser vices

dynamics to the trans-border

in the forefront of the

e.g. medical care, facilitating

linkages of the insurgent

counterinsurgency operations

employment programmes for

groups, and strategic alliances

in the North East - effectively

youth and improving basic

among them, which act as

coordinating political and

infrastructure e.g. building

force multipliers in their favour.

military strategies. Adept in

roads and hydel power projects,

Almost all the insurgency

local culture, dialect and urban

providing water supply and

movements, to begin with,

and jungle warfare, they also

helping develop agriculture,

have started off their campaign

played a critical role in carrying

handicrafts and above all the

espousing popular causes and

out projects designed to extend

heritage of the North East.

have been seen by separate

economic and social benefits to

constituencies as a natural

the local population. The Assam

by-product of the long-held

Rifles has often found itself 143

has

ASSA M Almost four decades after

various insurgent outfits. With

insurgency began in Assam

the signing of the Assam Peace

with the formation of the

Accord the state remains calm

first militant outfit in 1979,

though with undercurrents

militancy continues in the state.

simmering off and on.

However, the Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s counter-insurgency offensives

Headquarters Inspectorate

and peace efforts, including

General Assam Rifles (East), the

Operations Bajrang and Rhino

youngest of the three formation

by the security forces, have

headquarters of the Force holds

paid dividends with most of

the fort for three of the seven

the major insurgent groups

sister states - Assam, Mizoram

now getting into a peace mode

and Tripura. Located at Srikona

with intermittent opposition

in Assam, this formation has one

to the truce overtures by the

of its Sectors along with its own

breakaway factions.

Headquarters and units and sub units in Assam overseeing

During this period, the Assam

peace in both the upper and

Rifles took active part in dealing

lower regions of the state. The

with disturbances created by

units are performing creditably

the language and foreignersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

in counter insurgency role as

issues and the ethnic conflicts.

well as meeting the aspirations

It also took active part in

of the populace in Assam.

counter insurgency operations under

the

operational

command of the Army to control the activities of the

145

NAG A L A N D While Nagaland has seen

infrastructural developments,

Apart from the civic action

development as never before,

roads,

schools,

schemes, the formations and

the events leading to the

education, forestation, power

units of Inspectorate General

current situation has led to

and water supply healthcare

Assam Rifles (North) also

a stratification of the early

and livestock - continue to be

contribute immensely towards

egalitarian Naga society. The

undertaken and continue to

developments in the border

emergence of a middle class

yield results.

areas under the Border Area

running

and an unholy nexus between

D e v e l o p m e n t P ro g ra m m e

drug dealers, smugglers etc

One of the landmarks has

(BADP) of the Government of

and the insurgent groups has

been ‘Operation Franchise’ in

India wherein construction of

vitiated the body politic and

February 2000, launched by 3

roads, bridges and culverts

Naga civic life. The insurgents’

and 8 Assam Rifles Battalions.

have

guns though remain quiet as

For the first time in the history

connectivity of border villages

a result of the ceasefire, the

of the Tangkhuls eighty percent

within and with the mainland.

situation needs to be watched

of the population exercised

This also provides employment

closely with preemptive actions

their right to vote in defiance

opportunities

as and when called for. The

of the writ of various militant

sustaining projects collectively

Assam Rifles has been a key

groups. The relative stability

managed and run by the locals.

player in ensuring peace in this

and the trust level between

Such initiatives not only

state.

the Force and the people also

provide means of sustenance

led to the establishment of a

but also help in promoting the

Headquarters Inspectorate

recruitment node in Ukhrul

local handicrafts and heritage.

General Assam Rifles (North)

town where guidance and

Lieutenant General RK Rana,

and three of the Sectors

counseling is provided to the

SM, VSM, the current Director

Headquarters are stationed in

Naga youth.

G e n e ra l o f A s s a m R i f l e s

Nagaland along with their full

ensured

improved

through self

inaugurated the “Pineapple

complement of Assam Rifles

Apart from this, the Assam

Canning Plant” established

Battalions and ancillary units.

Rifles formations in Nagaland

under Military Civic Action

They are actively involved

have undertaken a slew of

Programme at Medziphema

in cumulative set of tasks to

other civic action programmes.

under Dimapur District in June

bring these tribal areas into

Such programmes aim to

2014. The canning plant is a

t h e m ai n stream. Massi ve

benefit the locals, integrate

promising venture set up by

civic action programmes -

the people of these far flung

the Force and handed over to

ranging from strengthening

areas with the rest of the

the people as an initiative of

of security, rehabilitation of

country. These programmes

economic empowerment.

people affected by militancy,

speak highly of the civic action

confidence building measures,

initiatives of the Assam Rifles.

Known for its famous picturesque golf links, the Pine City houses the sprawling Assam Rifles Directorate General which has become one of the most beautiful and self contained townships in the world.

M EG HA L AYA

Assam Rifles Public School, Shillong

The Assam Rifles has always

1947 as Headquarters Inspector

Signal Unit, the Assam Rifles

had an exceptional connect

General of Assam Rifles (HQ

Records and Pay & Allowances

with Meghalaya even though

IGAR). In early 1948 the HQ,

Offices, and the Number 2

it does not presently have

IGAR moved into a separate

Officers’ Mess of Headquarter

any operational commitment

office at La Bassee Lines near

Assam Rifles. Interestingly,

i n t h e S ta te . T h e Fo rce

the present Military Engineering

this area was also called the

once functioned under the

Services office on the way

Valentine’s Hill in local lore

Governor of undivided Assam

to Upper Shillong. Later on

once upon a time. The Assam

(before creation of the state of

the HQ IGAR was shifted to

Rifles Administration Unit and a

Meghalaya) and thus continues

Laitmukhrah, which was then

girls’ hostel is located in Happy

to share a special bond with the

popularly known as Cement

Valley, Shillong.

Governor of Meghalaya. For the

House area and was once the

gallantry and distinguished

property of India’s first Defence

The Headquarters along with its

service the troops of Assam

Minister, Sardar Baldev Singh

ancillary support units occupy

Rifles continue to be recognized

and his relatives.

the bowl and hillocks in Laitkor

and felicitated annually by

town. Assam Rifles Security

the Governor of Meghalaya. A

With the passage of time, as

Elements, Signal Components

special privilege afforded to

the commitment of Assam

and Assam Rifles Construction

this Force.

Rifles increased and the Force

& Maintenance Company are

expanded, the HQ IGAR also

the other occupants of various

The Headquarters of Assam

expanded and became the

pockets in Laitkor. The Assam

Rifles has always been part of

Directorate General Assam

Rifles Public School along with

Shillong, first when it was part

Rifles (HQ DGAR). Now the

its boys’ hostels is also located

of Inspector General of Police

old Cement House area has

in Shillong.

and later when it was separated

been completely renovated

from the police in September

to house the Assam Rifles 149

M A N IPU R The kingdom of Manipur was

Counter Terrorist Operations.

founded the Assam Rifles

merged with the Indian Union

Following the

1999 Kargil

Archery Club (ARAC) as the

on 15 October 1949. However,

War, when Army units were

nodal agency for archery in

o n l y a f t e r a p r o t ra c t e d

withdrawn from the region and

North East India. ARAC has

agitation interspersed with

committed to the war effort,

been winning regularly

violence, it was declared a

the Assam Rifles organised

all events since then. It also

separate state in 1972. The

massive recruitment rallies,