A group of former militants and linkmen of the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), a proscribed terrorist outfit, wrote a letter to chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday for jobs.

Since 2011, when Mamata assumed the chief minister’s office, her government has recruited a number of such former members of the outfit as special homeguards in the districts of Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar.

On Tuesday, the former militants and their linkmen reached the office of the district magistrate here under the banner of Surrender KLO & Linkmen Welfare Society.

“We have submitted a letter addressed to the chief minister through the district magistrate. There are around 150 of us who are yet to get the jobs. Due to certain technical delays, we are being deprived of the opportunity and facing problems in running our families,” Anowar Hossain, a former militant, said.

Sources said in Cooch Behar, 268 former militants and linkmen have been recruited by the state in the post of special home guards.

“They were recruited in two batches. There are 151of us for whom the processof recruitment started around three years back. But wehave not yet received thejobs so far,” said Tushar Kanti Das, an ex-member of theoutfit.

He mentioned that they have submitted all necessary documents and even the police verification has been carried out.

“We fail to understand why there is a delay and hope the chief minister will take necessary steps so that we get the jobs. These days, we are earning a livelihood by doing odd jobs and many of us are in financial crisis,” he added.

Ashok Kumar Roy, another former militant, said if the recruitment is not made, they would be forced to launch a movement.