NDFB: From a saviour of Bodos to a terror outfit

NDFB traces its origin to the Bodo Security Force, a militant group formed to “liberate Bodoland” from what they termed Indian ‘expansionism’

The National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) is a separatist outfit, which seeks to secure a sovereign Bodoland in Assam for the Bodo people.

The outfit has been declared a terrorist organisation by the government of India owing to the attacks carried out by its members.

NDFB traces its origin to the Bodo Security Force, a militant group formed in 1986 with an aim to liberate Bodoland from what they termed an Indian ‘expansionism’ and ‘occupation’. The group has carried out several attacks in Assam, targeting non-Bodo civilians and the security forces. It has in particular targeted the Santhal, Munda and Oraon adivasis (tribals), whose ancestors were brought to Assam as tea labourers during British Raj. Its large-scale attacks against the tribals during the 1996 Assam Legislative Assembly elections led to the formation of a rival militant group – the Adivasi Cobra Force.During the 1990s, the NDFB established 12 camps on the Bhutan-Assam border. The organisation suffered a reversal of fortune during the Royal Bhutan Army’s Operation All Clear and signed a ceasefire with the Indian authorities in May 2005.

This was followed by the group splitting into NDFB (Progressive) and NDFB (Ranjan) in 2008. The progressive faction led by the outfit’s general secretary Govinda Basumatary supported peace talks with the government, while the NDFB(R) continued its armed struggle. In 2012, NDFB(R) further split, leading to the formation of NDFB(S), which is led by a nonBodo IK Songbijit.In 2008, the outfit under Ranjan Daimary’s leadership carried out Assam’s biggest terror attack by triggering serial blasts in Kokrajhar, Bongaingaon , Barpeta Road and Guwahati. The terror attack claimed close to 100 lives besides injuring over 500 people.