Soumya Menon/ENS

Bangalore, Jun 23: North-East insurgency, which started four decades ago thrives on extortion, for which youths are recruited and trained outside India.

There are over 100 militant groups across the North East, with bases in Manipur, Nagaland and Assam.

Sources said that the militants use satellite phones to interact with their overground agents in Manipur and other places.

"Their weapons come largely from Burma and China and they use AK-47, AK-56, M-16, M-20, sniper rifles, which easily cost between Rs 15,000-Rs 30,000 each.

They do not carry weapons when underground, but engage in smuggling of drugs and counterfeit currencies from Manipur, Bangladesh and the UAE," said the source.

They recruit 15-20 year-oldyouths as over-ground agents, who are either studying or employed as taxi drivers or in other petty jobs. For every operation, these young people are paid five per cent in commission.

The recruits of the militant groups are also youths aged between 18-25 years; they undergo army training in Nagaland, Makutsi, (in South Africa) Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Some of the students who are sent to major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore have also undergone training.

Extortion and killing

The overground agents are used to extort money from businessmen and top government officials in the North- East.

"They send a letter to the victim, which states the amount required and the time period to send the money. If they fail to do so, they are shot dead.

It is an understanding between the political parties, police and businessmen that the militant groups get at least ten to fifteen per cent of the money invested in business," said a source.