Assam Rifles

The Assam Rifles raised as the Cachar Levy in 1835 is the oldest para military force in India.

Variously designated and reorganised from time to time, as the Assam Frontier Police (1883), the Assam Military Police (1891) and Eastern Bengal and Assam Military Police (1913), it came to be known by its present name of the Assam Rifles, in 1917

The role of this Force, as it was then conceived, was to maintain law and order in the Lushai Hills, and more generally to safeguard British interests; like tea gardens and other developmental work in relation to the opening up of the Assam area from the depredations of the head-hunting tribes which found great outdoor relief in raiding neighbouring settlements just for adventure and the fun of it. The Force was extensively used for extending administrative control over remote tribal areas in very difficult conditions with only rudimentary administrative back-up and at nominal pecuniary cost. Small townships, such as Aizawl, Lungleh, Kohima, Mokokchung, Tuensang, Haflong, Cherrapunji and Tura gradually mushroomed around its outposts

External links

• Assam Rifles: History assamrifles.gov.in
• "The Kuki Rising 1917-1919: Insurrection in north-eastern India and Burma" by Harry Fecitt from Harry’s Sideshows kaiserscross.com

Historical books online

• History of the Assam Rifles by L W Shakespear, 1929 may be viewed online on the Digital Library of India website.