Despite Security Force Tea & Terror Coexist

Tea Planters Still Paying Ultras Secretly : Blamed Indian Army & Police
TERROR IN TEA
SHIB SHANKAR CHATTERJEE
Eti Koli Duti Paat (that is, two leaves and a bud), the strain of this popular song is resonating in the blue
hills and the red rivers, and the valleys of Eastern Indian State, Assams Tea-Gardens or Tea-Estates. Hitherto
known for its scenic beauty, oil and mineral deposits also, the northeastern hilly-river state is slowly carving out a
niche for itself as a producer of quality tea in the world. At the vanguard of this movement are tea-estates that have
been exporting its produce for the long years. However, today, the famous brand Assam Tea (See Table I & II) loses
its own taste due to unexpected weather!
The North-East India, specially, the State Assam is still now a heaven of extremism. There are militants in
each and every length and breadth of the said region, which has brought corrosion in all spheres of social, political
and economic life of this region. There are more than 100-numbers of extremist organisation in this Eastern part of
India and their hiding huts lie in and around the tea gardens or tea-estates.
In 1980s, the noted militant group, outlawed so called Assamese extremist, the United Liberation Front of
Asam (ULFA), in 1990s, the so called Tribal extremist and the Adibashi extremist, the National Democratic Front
of Boroland (NDFB) and Adibashi Cobra Militant Force (ACMA) and in 2000s Dima Halom Daoga (DHD), United
People Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) et cetera extorted
millions of rupees from major tea companies in Eastern Indian State, Assam to fund their militant activities,
uttered the officials of the Indian Assam State Intelligence Bureau (IASIB).
In fact, since 1986, the situation turned critical for the tea-estates of Assam state, when the outfits started
eyeing on the tea-gardens for easy money to raise their fund of the organisations and late 1980s to 1990s was the
worst period for the green-gold (that is, Assam-tea) of India.
At least in the world of tea, which appears by the crash of tea prices in India than any anything else both
Indian Assam State Police officials as well as leaders of militant groups say that major corporate groups are still
paying protection money to banned organizations, claimed an official of TATA Tea.
.. the ULFA is dominated in Eastern-Assam tea-gardens and the NDFB and ACMA are infested in the
tea-estates of Western-Assam and Central-Assam, while others small groups like DHD, UPDS, KLNLF et cetera in
Southern-Assam respectively. In fact, their hunting grounds are 50% (per cent) to 60% (per cent) of the Assam tea-
estate or tea-garden areas on the Northern and Southern banks of the mighty hilly red river, Brahma putra in
Assam, because, this is the most easiest way to collect money for their respective organizations to buy basically
arms and ammunitions to fight against the Union of India. And in this matter, from a tea-planter to Government
officials (including forces) are entangled .., said a spokesperson of the Tea Association of India (TAI).
We the inhabitants and the workers of these gardens are very much frightened with the activities of these
outfits, which not only terrorise us in different ways but also put obstacles to the extension of tea-garden areas and
in the collection of Government revenue. Therefore, we are badly in need of sufficient securities to get rid of these
people, claimed the tea-garden owners and the workers of Labour Unions (that is, Mazdur Sangha) of tea gardens
of Assam.
According to the people and the officials of the state machinery department, that is, State Government
Police or Home Department, these outlawed militants have made these tea gardens and other industrial units of
these regions, their vital points of extortion for the last 15 years to 20 years. The State Government also alleged that
the major tea groups of company like TATA Tea, Williamson Magor, Rossell Industries, Assam Frontier and Assam
Company, Goodricke, et cetera were regularly paying protection tax to the aforesaid extremist groups of Assam.
This is not a new case and once again proves that there is a nexus between tea companies and the
extremists groups in Assam. Not only that there were as many as more than 14 numbers to 15 numbers such group
in Northeast India, whose bases lie in and around tea-estates.
All the said factors have long made the tea industry a favourite target of cash-seeking militants. Tea
companies and owners declare that they are paying a heavy price for buying peace and security forcibly, expresses
the officials of the Indian Intelligence Bureau (IIB).
Seeing this, the others groups of extremists of Northeast India, specially, in the States like Tripura,
Nagaland and West Bengal have also jumped into this profitable venture, ripping off crores from the tea-industry.
Between the year 1989 to 2005, more than 20-numbers to 25-numbers of tea-garden person and worker were
killed and more than 40-numbers to 50-numbers of tea-estate person and worker were kidnapped, reeled off
statistics by the Indian Home Affairs Department.
In this connection, it may also be noted here that the idea of having a Tea Protection Force (TPF) against
the extremist groups was mooted by the erstwhile late Hiteshwar Saikia - led Congress (I) Government to bail out
the tea-planters from being extorted. Therefore, being disgusted with this, the tea-industry of Assam had decided to
raise its own-force and the State Government agreed to this.
The tea-industry of Assam had been demanding a special security protection force since the year 1990,
when the tea-magnate Surendra Paul, brother of Lord Swaraj Paul of England was assassinated near Tinsukia

1
district of Assam and the managers an their families of Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL), including TATA Tea
personnel were airlifted in the face of persistent threats from the outlawed militants of Assam.
Not only that NDFB attacked a tea club in the state, Assams Sonitpur district and opened fired
indiscriminately to create terror. As a result, at that time, a number of tea-clubs were closed down fearing attacks by
the extremists. Even, mass exodus of tea-executives were happened, said a prominent planter of the State Assams
Dibrugarh district. HLL in keeping with the global policy of its parent body, Unilever, of not paying terrorists, did
not pay. Indeed, the above outfit groups emphasized, Indians living in the State, Assam, would have to pay tax, and
it is mandatory to all.
However, the idea of a protection force still did not take off. But, when the outlawed militants had been
attacking the tea-estates of Assam and carrying out different types of atrocities like abduction, threatening, killing
the tea-gardens officials and looting or plundering and extorting money from the tea-estates et cetera ( See Table
III & IV).and the Government failed to provide full proof security to the tea-gardens, the pressure was coming from
the tea-gardens of Assam again and again upon State Government for rendering proper security to them. Then the
State Government, Assam took decision to raise the Indian Assam State Tea Protection Force (IASTPF) to combat
the unhealthy situation in the tea gardens of Assam. And as a result of that, in the early 1994, a compromise deal
was struck in which the State Government decided to provide the security personnel to the teagardens of Assam. It
was also decided that the burden of expenditure incurred in connection with the security force would have to be
borne by the State Government.
But, the Indian Tea Association (ITA) refunded the all expenditure, which was incurred by the state
machinery for imparting training to the IASTPF personnel (that is, the tea-industry agreed to bear the cost of their
training and upkeep), which is today an additional burden for the tea-estates of Assam (this force was created by
drawing men from State Home Guard Force). At the outset, Rs. 07-08-crores to Rs. 10-15-crores were spent on
weapons, uniforms and communication gadgets.
IASTPF is a voluntary organisation and we can take in only volunteers. But, for rendering training and
better security to the tea-planters, the Indian Army is deployed for imparting training to them for last a couple of
months, claimed a higher officials, Director General of Home Guards and Civil Defence.
He also expressed, The IASTPF jawans are directly under the headquarters of State Home Guards
Department and rendered active service for 04 year. They are now released and new young and energetic youths are
recruited into the force.
Few years ago, there are 450-numbers to 500-numbers newly appointed (IASTPF) personnel and they are
deployed in 13-numbers of more sensitive tea-gardens in Central-Assam to ensure security of tea captains in
North-East India. The 06th batch of this force are soon sent to far-still tea-gardens after completion their training
course, disclosed the sources of the Indian Home Guards and Civil Defence (IHGCD) at the head quarters.
On the other hand, IHGCD sources also revealed, the newly recruits are being trained at the 04th Indian
Assam State Police Battalion (IASPBn) headquarters at Kahilipara of Guwahati in the State, Assam, in the use of
modern high-calibre sophisticated arms and ammunitions in addition to traditional weapons as well as commando
warfare so that they can effectively thwart rebel raids.
The IHGCD sources also revealed that after the completion of their course, the first batch of the new force
had been already deployed in the more vulnerable tea-garden areas of Darrang, Nagaon, Jorhat, Sivsagar,
Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Tinsukia, Dhubri and Sonitpur districts of Assam respectively in the month of February,
1995. Although, presently, there are 02,020-numbers of IASTPSF personnel in 95-numbers of teagarden in the
state of Assam.
With the induction of the 06th batch, their number will increase up to 02,480-numbers. According to the
ATPF, at present, the organisation also has nearly 09,000-numbers of Indian Home Guard (IHG) personnel, 456
Indian Border Wing Home Guard (IBWHG) volunteers, and 02,400-numbers of Indian Assam State Special
Reserve Force (IASSRF) personnel.
The monthly salaries of IASTPF personnel are however paid by tea-companies, as known from the tea-
industry sources. The sources also disclosed that this cost has compelled them to increase (deploying the IASTPF)
Rs. 00.50 (paisa) for each kilogramme of tea.
In fact, no tea-estate or tea-planter of Assam feels fully safe despite the employment of the Indian Assam
State Tea Plantations Security Force (IASTPSF) or Indian Assam State Tea Plantation Task Force (IASTPTF). It
was formed in the year 1994. This force has specially given birth to protect tea-estate personnel from killings,
abductions, threats and from extortions et cetera. Drawing men for IHGs created this force. About 01,200-numbers
to 01,300-numbers of personnel were deployed in 60-numbers to 66-numbers of tea gardens located in more
dangerous and vulnerable places.
Currently, nearly 85-numbers to 90-numbers of tea garden have under IASTPSF protection. It may be
noted here that, the Indian Tea Security Force (ITSF) was the result of a memorandum of understanding (MOU)
signed between the Assam Government and the ITA as per the Government Home Guards Act. The first batch of
security men was deployed in the month February, 1994. The entire expense of this force is required to be borne by
the tea-estate.
Most of the tea-executives become easy targets of the extremists groups due to the tea-estates are located
at isolated places. Though the number of above such incidents has come down of late, the outfits are still targeting
2
the tea-garden-persons for easy and quick money. However, for years the tea industry has been the only milky-cow
for the terrorists groups. Not only that the terrorist groups even very much aware that it is becoming difficult for
them to kidnap tea-executives and keeping kidnapped planters in safe places, yet finding no other means, the
militant groups are kidnapping the tea-officials, admitted the officials of the Indian Assam State Police Force
(IASPF).
The tea industry may have turned over a new leaf, producing the cup that cheers with renewed vigour and
forgetting the travails of insurgency, time-to-time. However, it still harbours a grudge against the IASPF.
Every time, a tea-executive is abducted, the IASPF launch a massive combing operation has been launched
to trace the hostage. Days, months and sometimes-even years after the kidnap, IASPF would maintain that the
intensive search operation is still on. On every occasion, before the IASPF close in on the hostage, the outfits
would set free their captive. At what cost the militants became soft towards their hostages has remained a
mystery. The IASPF cannot trace or rescue any of the tea-executive despite their intensive combing operations.
Nearly all the hostages said they have been released on either humanitarian ground or compassionate
ground. Even, the hostage also showed off the gamosa (the symbol of gratitude, brotherhood and friendship), the
extremists have given them as parting gifts.
Today, no tea-estate or tea-planter of Assam, even, Tripura and West Bengal feels completely safe despite
the Indian Tea Plantations Security Force (ITPSF)s existence. The militants continue to extort and that is the irony
of the situation.

(~ Shib Shankar Chatterjee, who worked as a contributor for BBC, The Statesman, The Times of India,
Hindustan Times, The Telegraph, Asia Times and as a Photographer of Associated Press (AP), Agence France
Presse (AFP) and Press Trust of India (PTI) from Northeast India. He also worked in CNN-IBN, CNBC-TV18,
NDTV, Door Darshan, New Delhi, India, and others two international documentary films as a researcher and
video-grpher. He specialises in South-Asian affairs.)

TABLE-I
AT A GLANCE
FACT SHEET OF ASSAM-TEA (INDIA)
01. Name : Tea
02. Local Name : Cha in Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit et cetera. Chah in
Assamese
03. Scientific Name : Camelliathea
Tea is the dried and prepared leaves and buds of Thea (= Camellia) assamica and T. Sinensis and several
hybrids of the family Theaceae. Tea infusion is now a universal drink.
04. Detected by : Maniram Dutta Baruah (alias Maniram Dewan) in
1806 to 1858
05. Discovered By : Major Robert Bruce in 1826
06. Manufacturing Process : a) Plucking, b) Withering, c) Rolling, d) Shifting,
e) Fermentation, f) Firing, g) Sorting and h) Grading.
07. Country : India
08. State : Assam
09. Latitude : 200 (North) to 280 (North)
10. Longitude : 900 (East) to 960 (East)
11. Altitude : 600 metres to 700 metres above sea level
12. Rainfall : Maximum 03,678.4 millimetre to Minimum 01,171.1
millimetre
13. Temperature : Maximum 390 centigrade to Minimum 050 centigrade
14. Humidity : 83.00% (percent)
15. Total area under Tea cultivation : 02,30,000 Hectares
16. Number of Tea Gardens : 860 Numbers
17. Number of employees (Permanent & Temporary) : 08,00,000 Numbers
18. Total annul production of Tea : 400 million to 450 million kilograms
(55% [percent] of all India production)
19. Estimated turnover of the Industry in Assam : Rs. 02,200 crores
20. Major Tea- Companies : Assam Tea Company, Tata Tea, Williamson Magor,
Rossell Industries, Assam Frontier, Goodricke,
Warren Tea, Jayshree et cetera.
21. Major Tea-Associations : Assam Tea Planters Association, Assam Cha Mazdoor
Sangha, Assam Branch of India Tea Association,
Branch of Indian Tea Association, Tea Association of
India, Indian Tea Association, Bharatiya Chha
3
 Parishad, et cetera.
22. Tea Students' Organisation : Assam Tea Tribes Students Association, et cetera.
23. Tea Unions : Assam Tea Employees Industrial Co-operative
Organization Limited, Chha Shramik Union, All Assam
Small Tea Growers Association, et cetera.
24. Tea Training Centre : Tea Training Co-operation of India
25. Tea Trading Corporation : Assam Tea Corporation, Tea Trading Corporation of
India, Consultative Committee of Plantations
Association
26. Contribution to State exchequer : Rs 140 crores
27. Money earmarked for welfare activity by ABITA : Rs 01 crore per annum.
28. Tea personnel killed in extremists attack : 12 Numbers to 15 Numbers (approximately)
29. Tea Executives kidnapped but subsequently released : 40 Numbers to 50 Numbers (approximately)
30. Tea Protection Forces : Assam Tea Protection Force, Assam Tea Plantation
Security Force, Tea Security Force, Assam Tea
Plantation Task Force, Tea Garden Protection Force
et cetera
31. Tea-Gardens of Assam threatened by Extremist groups of North-East India : National Democratic
Front of Boroland (NDFB), Boro Liberation Tiger (BLT), United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), Birsa
Commando Force (BCF), Adibashi Cobra Militants of Assam (ACMA), Adibashi National Liberation Army (ANLA),
Dima Halom Daoga (DHD), United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Peoples United Liberation Front (PULF),
National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Chishi Swu & Thuingling Muivah) - NSCN (IM), United People
Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), Bru National Liberation
Front (BNLF), All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA), United Democratic Liberation Front (B), United
Democratic Liberation Army (UDLA), Karbi Peoples Liberation Tigers (KPLT), et cetera.

TABLE-II
AT A GLANCE
DISTRICT-WISE POSITION OF ASSAM STATE (INDIA) TEA-GARDEN
SERIAL DISTRICT/ NUMBER OF AREA ENCROACHED PATTERN YEAR OF
NUMBER STATE TEA-GARDEN (In Bigha-Katha-Lecha) OF USE ENCROACHMENT

01. Sibsagar 119 02,181 - 04 - 07 Plantation

& Houses ----------
02. Golaghat 74 265 - 04 - 10 Plantation ----------
03. Jorhat 81 398 - 01 - 16 Plantation ----------
04. Nagaon 21 568 - 04 - 03 Plantation ----------
05. Morigaon 02 98 - 04 - 01 Plantation ----------
06. Dhubri 03 70 - 00 - 00 Plantation 1995
07. Kokrajhar 03 181 - 02 - 01 Plantation 1993-1994
08. Bongaigaon 01 07 - 01 - 12 Plantation 1985
09. Goalpara 02 Nil Does not arise ----------
10. Cachar 60 01,877 - 04 - 04 Plantation ----------
11. Hailakandi 16 Nil Does not arise ----------
12. Karimganj 30 421 - 01 - 04 Plantation 1975
13. Darrang 35 543 - 01 - 13 Plantation 1966-1977
14. Lakhimpur 10 07,882 - 00 - 09 Plantation 1980-1985
15. Tinsukia 86 01,55,349 - 03 - 09.5 Plantation 1970
16. Dhemaji 103 521 - 01 - 19 Plantation 1978
17. Barpeta 01 Nil Does not arise ----------
18. Nalbari 03 Nil Does not arise ----------
19. Kamrup 07 02,818 - 02 - 16 Plantation 1994
20. Sonitpur 72 06,702 - 04 - 09 Plantation 1986-1995
21. Dibrugarh 139 01,955 - 01 - 13 Not available ----------
Total Assam 768 01,78,874 Bighas-02 Kathas-03.5 Lechas.

Source : Department of Land Records & Reforms, Tea-Gardens of Assam (INDIA)

TABLE-III
AT A GLANCE
TEA-ESTATE PERSONS KILLED BY EXTREMISTS IN ASSAM STATE (INDIA)

4
SERIAL NAME OF THE TEA-ESTATE (TE)/ DATE OF
NUMBER TEA-EXECUTIVE (TEA-GARDEN) ASSASSINATION

01. D. Choudhury, Assistant Manager Ledo-TE 15-02-1989

02. Amal Paul, Field Clerk Corramore-TE 15-08-1989
03. P.C. Scaria TATA Tea Limited 13-03-1990
04. Surendra Paul, Director Assam Frontier Tea 07-06-1990
05. Jawaharlal Jain, Manager Dheria-TE 19-10-1990
06. D.K. Choudhury, Manager Romai-TE 12-02-1991
07. Chandrashekher Chakraborty, Manager Panbari-TE 04-04-1992
08. Rameshwar Singh, General Manager Assam Frontier Tea 15-02-1994
09. Koilee Baisnav, Parmanent Worker Attrekahat-TE 15-10-1995
(Case mistaken identity)
10. Tezindar Kaur, Manager Nagrijuli-TE 03-03-1997
11. Durgadas Mukherjee, Manager Choibari-TE 21-12-1997
12. Surendra Roy, Manager Borghora-TE 10-12-1998
13. Rajat Banerjee, Assistant Manager Pathimara-TE 21-08-1999
14. Rajanikanta Chaturvedi Shankar-TE 20-07-2000
15. Suresh Modi, Owner Modi-TE 20-10-2000
16. Juin Suma Basumatry, Assistant Manager Fatemabad-TE 16-12-2000
17. Surendra Sharma, Officials Langrijan-TE 06-07-2003
18. Mohan Singh, Owner Daishajan-TE 03-08-2003
19. Suresh Limbu, Manager Rongmola-TE 10-08-2005
20. Haren Das, Manager Hailanga-TE 23-09-2006
21. Gautam Kumar Kataki, Deputy Manager Coramoor-TE 23-12-2008
22. Anil Trigun, Assistant Manager &
Manoj Kumar, Bodyguard Kukicherra-TE 03-05-2009
23. Uday Mushahary, Tea Planter ________-TE 01-01-2010
24. Keshab Chandra Baroi, Plantation Supervisor,
Nilam Sinha, Assistant Dullavcherra-TE 19-09-2010
25. Chhabinath Gupta, Manager, Swaraswati-TE 17-09-2012 (Seriously-
-injured)
26. Adilur Rahman, Owner, Mahalaxmi-TE 13-11-2012
27. Chandreshwar Dehingia,
Provident Fund Clerk, Singlijan-TE 12-04-2014

Source : Indian Assam State Police Force.

TABLE-IV
AT A GLANCE
TEA-GARDEN PERSONS ABDUCTED BY MILITANTS IN ASSAM STATE (INDIA)
SERIAL NAME OF THE TEA-ESTATE (TE)/ DATE OF DATE OF
NUMBER TEA EXECUTIVE (TEA-GARDEN) ABDUCTION RELEASE

01. Subir Roy, Manager Dimakuchi-TE 18-03-1992 07-04-1992

(Williamson Magor)
02. K. K. Mittal, Managing Director Manabari-TE December, 1992 NO TRACE
03. Bolin Bardoloi, Deputy General Manager TATA-Tea 08-04-1993 11-03-1994
Jayanta Choudhury, Managing Director Fatemabad-Tea 12-06-1993 13-07-1993
& R. K. Gohain, Assistant Manager
05. S. K. Baruah, Managing Director Bhergaon-TE 23-03-1994 30-03-1994
06. D. V. Singh, Manager & Nonoi-TE 17-10-1995 18-10-1995
A. Dutta, Assistant Manager (TATA Tea)
07. O. P. Siwal, Assistant Manager Tyroon-TE 19-10-1995 26-10-1995
08. N. N. Kilpadi, Manager Saola-Tea 26-01-1996 30-01-1996
09. D. K. Baruah Bhergaon-TE 17-09-1996 03-04-1997
10. Arup Kumar Bhadury, Owner Sonapur-TE 29-01-1997 26-06-1997
11. P. K. Choudhury Menoka-TE 29-07-1997 August, 1997
12. Amalesh Chakraborty, Head Assistant Mornoi-TE 05-01-1998 18-01-1998
13. Badrilal Hiduwani, Manager Sapoi-TE 27-03-1998 12-08-1999
14. Hitesh Puri, General Manager & Chandighat-TE 03-08-1999 14-08-1999

5
 Gautam Roy, Manager (Chandighat Tea-
-Company) 04-08-1999 12-08-1999
15. Dibyajyoti Sharma, Assistant Manager Baladhan-TE
(Joyshree Tea Company) 04-08-1999 12-08-1999
16. Bimal Das, Manager, Priyankar Pujari,
Assistant Manager, Nabajyoti Phukan, Fatemabad-TE 28-08-1999 07-11-1999
Deputy Manager
17. Ranjit Banerjee, Senior Assistant Manager Pathemara-TE (Grob- 21-08-1999 28-08-1999
& Subir Dev Roy, Labour Welfare Officer -Tea Company) (Killed)
18. Bhupen Mahanta, Accountant Salona-TE 28-06-1999 06-09-1999
19. Laxmikant Sharma, Head Clerk Jiyajuri-TE 28-06-1999 12-09-1999
20. Rakesh Singh, Assistant Manager Binnakandi-TE 06-11-1999 14-11-1999
21. A. K. Upadhayay, Assistant Manager Amaranagar-TE 01-12-1999 -----
22. Radha Kanta Trivedi, Manager &
Rathsurat Gowala, Driver Lakhipur-TE 11-03-1999 -----
23. Rajat Banerjee, Assistant Manager Pathimara-TE 20-08-1999 21-08-1999
(Killed)
24. Sagarmoy Pujari, Tea Executive &
Dinesh Chaube, Assistant Manager Bhuban Valley-TE 01-02-2000 15-02-2000
25. Keshab Bhattacharjee, Assistant Manager, Martycherra-TE 16-02-2000 26-02-2000
26. Ashok Chakraborty, Assistant Manager, Choibari-TE 27-05-2000 16-06-2000
27. Raj Kumar Pandey, Manager Lakhipur-TE 08-06-2000 08-07-2000
28. Shambhu Nath , Manager &
Ram Avtar Chakraborty, Manager Binnakandi-TE 05-08-2001 -----
29. Kishore Kurmi, Assistant Manager Dholai-TE 16-12-2002 13-01-2004
30. Bimalendu Gupta, Assistant Manager Jatinga Valley-TE 05-02-2003 -----
31. Dwijendra Narayan Roy, Executive
Engineer, Akshay Choudhury &
Subhash Roy Dokmoka-TE 08-07-2003 -----
32. Sarat Dutta, Assistant Manager & Bhagabati-TE 21-02-2004 -----
Rakesh Kumar
33. Sandip Satodia, Director Jagadamba-TE 06-04-2005 -----
34. Birendra Kumar Chaudhury, Manager Lungchung-TE 19-09-2005 22-01-2006
35. Paresh Nath Singh, Assistant Manager Koomber-TE 03-05-2006 -----
36. Rajendra Singh, Tea Planter ______ -TE 06-09-2006 -----
37. Aniruddha Tanti, Tea Executive Hirajuli-TE 31-07-2007 09-08-2007
38. Birinchi Bharali, Assistant Manager Orang-TE 01-09-2007 -----
39. Binoy Sharma, Owner Bakuljan-TE 23-11-2009 -----
40. Badal Dutta, Tea Project Official -TE 10-03-2010 -----
41. Chinmoy Kumar Paul, Assistant Manager Kalain-TE 13-02-2010 -----
42. Suman Biswas, Assistant Manager Dullaycherra-TE 11-05-2010 20-05-2010
43. Karanbir Sharma, Manager Nampong-TE 28-06-2010 00-07-2010
(Arunachal Pradesh)
44. Risheswar Das, Manager Saleki-TE 30-06-2010 30-06-2010
(Morning) (Evening,
Release after
04-hours)
45. Bhagwan Swami, Tea Planter _____-TE 23-08-2010 29-08-2010
46. Bangshidhar Sona, Assistant Manager Tinsukia-TE 22-09-2010 01-10-2010
47. Dhrubajyoti Talukdar, Assistant Manager Dhekiajuli-TE 30-10-2010 06-11-2010
48. Om Prakash Chowkhani, Owner Chowkhani-TE 15-11-2010 ------
49. Kamlesh Gupta, Manager Menaka-TE 13-12-2010 29-12-2010
50. Rajendra Kumar Lahoty, Owner -TE 19-12-2010 23-12-2010
51. Bogai Karmakar, Employee (Labour Sardar)Hatikhuli-TE 07-07-2011 11-07-2011
52. Ramen Bora, Assistant Manager Panbari -TE 19-01-2012 19-01-2012
(Release after 07-hours)
53. Haren Takdi, Employee Methoni-TE 26-01-2012 ------
54. Dhruba Duania, Small Tea Planter
/Tea Grower ______-TE 10-12-2012 12-12-2012
55. Pradip More, Small Tea Planter/Tea Grower
& Chandrapal Sharma (associate) ______-TE 01-12-2012 17-12-2012
56. Dalim Bora, Small Tea Planter/Tea Grower ______-TE 08-05-2013 10-05-2013
6
 57. Bhadreswar Nath, Small Tea Planter/Tea Grower ____-TE 13-09-2013 15-09-2013
58. Rakesh Sharma, Tea Businessman Manjushree-TE 02-10-2013 04-10-2013
59. Prabin Sharma, Small Tea Planter/Tea Grower ____-TE 25-11-2013 00-00-2013
60. Pradip Lahon, Employee Dafflagarh-TE 29-11-2013 00-00-2013
61. Dwijen Goala, Dumu Garh, Amar Praja
& Maina Baishnav, Employees ________-TE 11-12-2013 14-12-2013
62. Bharat Singh Rathore, Manager Pabhoi-TE 16-01-2014 23-01-2014
63. Kamal Rajput, Employee ______-TE 16-12-2014 00-00-2014
64. Debendra Nath Tiwari, Manager Kopili-TE 09-04-2016 22-04-2016
65. Bhaskar Pathak, Manager Charai Deo-TE 04-02-2017 09-02-2017
66. Navin Joshi, Manager Maijonga-TE 02-06-2017 07-06-2017
67. Sailya Dhingiya, Manager Dhingiya-TE 28-09-2017 06-10-2017
68. Kedar Nath Jha, Accountant Kopilli-TE 10-10-2017 16-10-2017

Source : Indian Assam State Police Force.

TABLE-V
AT A GLANCE
DISTRICT-WISE POSITION OF ASSAM STATE (INDIA) SMALL TEA-GARDEN
SERIAL DISTRICT REGISTRED SMALL SMALL TOTAL AREA OF TEA-WORKER TEA FARMER
NUMBER /STATE TEA GROWERS TEA GROWERS TEA PLANTATION /TEA-LABOUR
(In Numbers) (In Numbers) (In Bigha) (In Numbers) (In Numbers)

01. Sibsagar 80 04,004 40,172 13,045 06,977

02. Golaghat 212 03,730 40,843 12,781 06,390
03. Jorhat 71 01,115 09,872 10,022 02,112
04. Nagaon 13 32 01,496 486 170
05. Morigaon 07 16 203 119 20
06. Dhubri 01 80 659 291 83
07. Kokrajhar 02 15 370 124 15
08. Bongaigaon --- 850 245 45
09. Goalpara --- 89 615 337 94
10. Cachar --- --- ---- ----- -----
11. Hailakandi --- --- ---- ----- -----
12. Karimganj --- --- ---- ----- -----
13. Darrang 12 48 384 159 24
14. Lakhimpur 09 79 01,809 596 313
15. Tinsukia 84 08,855 95,131 22,998 10,541
16. Dhemaji 01 13 ---- ----- -----
17. Barpeta --- ---- ----- -----
18. Nalbari 01 11 71 41 16
19. Kamrup 04 83 215 71 25
20. Sonitpur 67 184 06,185 01,906 01,218
21. Dibrugarh 104 06,530 88,481 46,740 10,606
22. Karbi Anglong 50 79 03,250 01,084 130
Total Assam 718 24,963 02,90,606 01,11,045 38,779

Source : All Assam Small Tea Growers of Association (INDIA)

TABLE-VI
AT A GLANCE
TAX PAID BY ASSAM STATE (INDIA) TEA-GARDEN TO EXTREMIST GROUP

SERIAL NAME OF THE TEA COMPANY TAX PAID BY TEA-ESTATE (TE)

NUMBER
01. Williamson Magor 03 Crore
02. TATA Tea 50 Lakhs
03. Bhergaon Tea-Estate 25 Lakhs
04. Badlapur Tea-Estate 09 Lakhs
05. Chandana Tea-Estate 05 Lakhs
7
 06. Nandan Nayer Tea-Estate 10 Lakhs
07. Ambika Tea-Estate 03 Lakhs
08. Macneil Magor 24 Lakhs
Source : Paper seized from outlawed Bodo militant group-National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB)
by Indian Assam State Police Force.
CHART & TEXT BY : SHIB SHANKAR CHATTERJEE

References :
01. Despite security force, tea and terror coexist by Shib Shankar Chatterjee, The Statesman (North East
Page) dated 24th May, 2003.
02. Tea Feeds Terror, despite security Force by Shib Shankar Chatterjee, International Website NEWS
BLAZE, published from California, United States of America, dated 14th December, 2009, (Lead News).
03. In Pictures : India Tea Workers by Shib Shankar Chatterjee, BBC NEWS (Online Service-Photo Feature),
dated July, 2005.
Link-http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?
q=cache:hq_ATYqd5BMJ:news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/south_asia_india_tea_workers/ht
ml/1.stm+shib+shankar+chatterjee&cd=19&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=in&source=www.google.co.in