Guwahati: Assam Police is contemplating setting up of an anti-extortion wing to tackle increasing cases of demands for money by organised criminal gangs masquerading as militants.

"We are indeed worried as criminals were found serving extortion notices or demanding money over telephone in the name of some militant groups and hence seriously thinking of having an exclusive anti-extortion cell," Assam Police intelligence chief Khagen Sharma told sources.

Scores of people in the state, particularly in Guwahati, are gripped by fear following stepped up extortion drive, accompanied by death threats if their diktats were not obeyed.  

Police said several people from petty shopkeepers to doctors have received extortion demands from callers identifying themselves as militants belonging to the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) over telephone.

"For the last few days I received about a dozen telephone calls asking for donation. The callers claimed themselves to be from the NDFB," said M. Singh, a shopkeeper here.

"They even gave two mobile numbers to my shop attendant and asked him to tell me to call them back. I gave all the details to police for necessary action as I am very worried for my security and that of my family," said a visibly scared Singh.  

The NDFB is a rebel group fighting for an independent homeland for the Bodo tribe in western Assam and the group is currently operating a ceasefire with New Delhi.

"These are not NDFB militants, but a gang of criminals. Whenever there are some incidents of bomb blasts or other violent attacks, these criminals try and take advantage of the situation by serving extortion notices in the name of some militant groups," Sharma said.

Police are however, foxed by the extortionists, as they were using mobile phones whose addresses were found to be false.

"We have asked all the mobile phone service providers in the region to carry out an intensive scrutiny and check all documents before issuing SIM cards. In most cases, the criminals were found using cell phones after submitting false documents to get the connections," the police official said.  

"I am totally distressed after receiving a letter for donation and subsequent phone calls. They even threatened us of dire consequences if we fail to meet their demand," a doctor at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital said requesting not to be named.  

There were reports of a massive extortion drive by the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in parts of eastern Assam - the outfit calls it "extra-constitutional taxes".

Several tea gardens in the region have received huge extortion notices ranging from Rs.100,000 to Rs.1.5 million.

In September, ULFA rebels shot dead Harendra Das, manager of the Hollonghabi Tea Estate in Tinsukia district, for refusing to pay an extortion demand of Rs.1 million.