Two more ULFA-I cadres surrender in Arunachal as crackdown intensifies

Jorhat, Dec 3: Nearly ten days after United Liberation Front of Asom–Independent (ULFA-I) self-styled general Arunoday Axom, alias Arunoday Dahotia, surrendered before Assam Police, two more cadres of the banned outfit laid down arms in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday.

The two cadres, Baan Axom and Astitva Axom, surrendered before Assam and Arunachal Pradesh Police at Namtau-Khamti in Namsai district and were immediately taken into custody.

According to Tinsukia Police, a joint team from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh located the duo at Namtau-Khamti and apprehended them without resistance.

They were first detained at Namsai Police Station before being brought to Tinsukia Sadar Police Station, where they are currently undergoing detailed interrogation.

Police recovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition from the surrendered cadres, including one MQ-series rifle, 153 rounds of live ammunition, three magazines, and one EY shell.

Police recovered significant amount of arms & cache from the duo

Preliminary investigation indicates that both men were part of the main ULFA-I camp led by Dahotia and fled Camp 779 in Myanmar on November 27, reportedly entering Assam with the intention of surrendering.

Security operations against ULFA-I have intensified in recent weeks following the ambush on an Indian Army camp in Kakopathar, on October 17.

The incident triggered a series of counter-operations, leading to the arrests, detentions and surrenders of multiple cadres and sympathisers across Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

On November 23, Dahotia himself surrendered before Assam Police, a move that dealt a major blow to the outfit’s upper ranks.

A day later, three youths, Nabottam Bowlari, Jayanta Konwar and Manjit Neog, all from Maithong village in Kakopathar, were detained at Kharsang in Arunachal Pradesh while allegedly attempting to join the proscribed outfit.

Officials said the trio had been in contact with Dahotia prior to his surrender.

Soon after Dahotia’s surrender, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said that any meaningful peace dialogue with ULFA(I) would require the direct participation of its chief, Paresh Barua.

“Discussions will only be effective if they happen with Paresh Barua and not with anyone else from ULFA(I),” Sarma told reporters at Rangapara in Sonitpur on November 23.