Heerak Jyoti Mahanta

Heerak Jyoti Mahanta
Heerak Jyoti Mahanta
Born	6 September 1961; Nalbari, Assam, India
Died	31 December 1991 (aged 30); Guwahati, India
Cause of death	Killed by Assam Police & Indian Army
Burial place	Bhootnath; 26.1693348°N 91.7225207°E
Other names	Jayanta Medhi ; Naren Deka [1]
Alma mater	Gauhati University
Parent(s)	Ratnapati Mahanta (father); Bimala Mahanta (mother)

Heerak Jyoti Mahanta, also spelled as Hirakjyoti Mahanta, Hirak Jyoti Mahanta, alias Jayanta Medhi alias Naren Deka (Real name: Heerak Jyoti Mahanta) was the first Deputy Commander-in-chief of the United Liberation Front of Axom (ULFA). He was killed on the eve of 31 December 1991.[1][2]

He was said to be one of the hardcore cadres of the outfit. He strongly opposed any kind of surrendering and lateral talk with the Indian government and it never happened within the outfit till his death. After his death, a large section of second-rung leaders and members surrendered to government authorities in 1992.[3]

Early life and education

Heerak Jyoti Mahanta was a student of Guwahati's renowned Cotton Collegiate and passed Bachelor of Science in physics under Gauhati University.[4]

Militancy life

Heerak Jyoti Mahanta completed his militancy training in Kachin with ULFA Chief Paresh Baruah and they returned to Assam in 1984.[5][6] Trained in Kachin, Myanmar, Mahanta was a brave and strong youth militant leader in the outfit.[7]

The conspiracy

In the late 1990s, Mahanta became very powerful. He openly criticized the policies of the central leadership of ULFA and posed a potential threat to Paresh Baruah, the commander-in-chief of the outfit. Subsequently, under the direction of Paresh Baruah, his movement was passed on to the Assam Police, which led to his death in a serene hillock.[8]

Death

On 31 December 1991, military intelligence received a tip-off about Heerak Jyoti Mahanta's hideout in Guwahati city. A huge team of the army made a quick operation and nabbed Mahanta's one of the security guards Moon Ali from a hotel in Fancy Bazaar of the city. Moon Ali's detention led the army to the house of Nripen Baruah in the Geetanagar area, where Heerak and his two other security guards were taking shelter. The army encircled the house as Heerak was the real target. Heerak was unable to escape from the army's gherao and all three were detained by the army.[3][9]

Heerak was taken to Geetanagar police station, where he was shot dead. Most of the newspapers, however, argue that uncompromising Mahanta was killed by Army as he refused to relent even after being caught.[10]

Heerak Jyoti Mahanta's killing created a massive outrage throughout the state amongst the outfit and civilians and thousands of villagers of his native place of Nalbari district gathered where ULFA militants offered the last honor to their leader.[11] There were funeral processions following the killing of Heerak Jyoti Mahanta, which was a law and order challenge to the state government.[12][13]

References

"Heerak Jyoti Mahanta – Man who won't be a forgotten History". Times of Assam. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
Baruah, Sanjib (1994). "The State and Separatist Militancy in Assam: Winning a Battle and Losing the War?". Asian Survey. University of California Press. 34 (10): 863–877. doi:10.2307/2644966. JSTOR 2644966 – via JSTOR.
Hazarika, Sanjoy (2000). Strangers Of The Mist: Tales of War and Peace from India's Northeast. Penguin Books Limited. ISBN 9788184753349.
"Heerak Jyoti Mahanta - Man who won't be a forgotten History". Times of Assam. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
Menon, Mady (25 August 2020). A Saga of the Valorous Wanchos. Notion Press. ISBN 9781649199324.
Mahanta, Nani Gopal (2013). Confronting the State: ULFA's Quest for Sovereignty. SAGE Publications. p. 59. ISBN 9788132113270.
Rammohun, E M (2011). Countering Insurgencies in India : An Insider's View. United Service Institution of India. New Delhi: Vij Books India Private Limited. p. 61. ISBN 978-93-81411-66-7.
Sidiqi, M. A. (12 August 2004). "Turbulent time for NE militant outfits". Dailyexcelsior.com. Archived from the original on 19 June 2007. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
Lolla Paul, C. H. Rajahans (2002). The Terror Business: Counting the Major Terrorist Groups of the World & Insight Into Their Growth & Operations : Volume 3. Dominant Publishers and Distributors. p. 1654. ISBN 9788178880303.
"Peace in pieces:What Government ought to do". Srimanta.org. Archived from the original on 13 July 2009. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
Rajahans, C. H; Paul, Lolla (2002). The Terror Business : Counting the Major Terrorist Groups of the World & Insight Into Their Growth & Operations. New Delhi: Dominant Publishers and Distributors. p. 16654. ISBN 978-81-7888-030-3.
New Delhi, India, Institute for Conflict Management (1999). "Faultlines". Faultlines. 8–11: 115. ISSN 0972-1290.
Rajahans, C. H; Paul, Lolla (2002). The Terror Business : Counting the Major Terrorist Groups of the World & Insight Into Their Growth & Operations. Vol. 3 (1st ed.). New Delhi: Dominant Publishers and Distributors. p. 1654. ISBN 978-81-7888-030-3.

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[ToA-1] "Heerak Jyoti Mahanta – Man who won't be a forgotten History". Times of Assam. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2014.

[2] Baruah, Sanjib (1994). "The State and Separatist Militancy in Assam: Winning a Battle and Losing the War?". Asian Survey. University of California Press. 34 (10): 863–877. doi:10.2307/2644966. JSTOR 2644966 – via JSTOR.

[:0-3] Hazarika, Sanjoy (2000). Strangers Of The Mist: Tales of War and Peace from India's Northeast. Penguin Books Limited. ISBN 9788184753349.

[4] "Heerak Jyoti Mahanta - Man who won't be a forgotten History". Times of Assam. Retrieved 8 December 2021.

[5] Menon, Mady (25 August 2020). A Saga of the Valorous Wanchos. Notion Press. ISBN 9781649199324.

[6] Mahanta, Nani Gopal (2013). Confronting the State: ULFA's Quest for Sovereignty. SAGE Publications. p. 59. ISBN 9788132113270.

[7] Rammohun, E M (2011). Countering Insurgencies in India : An Insider's View. United Service Institution of India. New Delhi: Vij Books India Private Limited. p. 61. ISBN 978-93-81411-66-7.

[8] Sidiqi, M. A. (12 August 2004). "Turbulent time for NE militant outfits". Dailyexcelsior.com. Archived from the original on 19 June 2007. Retrieved 15 December 2009.

[9] Lolla Paul, C. H. Rajahans (2002). The Terror Business: Counting the Major Terrorist Groups of the World & Insight Into Their Growth & Operations : Volume 3. Dominant Publishers and Distributors. p. 1654. ISBN 9788178880303.

[cd-10] "Peace in pieces:What Government ought to do". Srimanta.org. Archived from the original on 13 July 2009. Retrieved 15 December 2009.

[11] Rajahans, C. H; Paul, Lolla (2002). The Terror Business : Counting the Major Terrorist Groups of the World & Insight Into Their Growth & Operations. New Delhi: Dominant Publishers and Distributors. p. 16654. ISBN 978-81-7888-030-3.

[12] New Delhi, India, Institute for Conflict Management (1999). "Faultlines". Faultlines. 8–11: 115. ISSN 0972-1290.

[13] Rajahans, C. H; Paul, Lolla (2002). The Terror Business : Counting the Major Terrorist Groups of the World & Insight Into Their Growth & Operations. Vol. 3 (1st ed.). New Delhi: Dominant Publishers and Distributors. p. 1654. ISBN 978-81-7888-030-3.