During an operation, the Army on Tuesday nabbed a hardcore cadre of the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) along with a pistol and a magazine from Chabua in Dibrugarh district.
The ULFA-I cadre has been identified as self-styled ‘SS lance corporal’ Ganesh Gogoi. He has been handed over to Chabua Police Station.
According to sources, acting on a tip-off, troops of the 9 Rajputana Rifles of the Dao Division launched an operation and managed to nab the ULFA-I cadre from Chabua. He was allegedly involved in Dikom pipeline blast last year.
ULFA-I cadre Gogoi revealed before the Army that three days back, he had met ULFA-I leader Jan Asom. Recently, 9 Rajputana Rifles nabbed four hardcore ULFA-I cadres from Dibrugarh district.
Also read: Assam: Two arms dealer, ULFA (I) linkmen held in Dibrugarh
“We have been intensifying counter-insurgency operations against the rebel outfit in the past few months and have successfully nabbed four ULFA-I cadres from different areas of the district,” said Army sources.
On May 18, 2018, the Army apprehended two arms dealers and linkmen of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent in Naharkatia area of Dibrugarh district.
The duo was identified as 31-year-old Jiten Saha, a resident of Naharkatia in Dibrugarh and 28-year-old Junaid Ahmed from Sonari in Charaideo district. One .22 pistol, 2 magazines and 3 cellphones were recovered from their possession.
The duo was handed over the Rajgarh Police Station where they were being interrogated by senior police officials.
An Army official said that apart from working for the ULFA-I, Jiten Saha used to double his income as an arms dealer supplying weapons to Northeast-based militant groups. Both of them procured arms and weapons from Nagaland and provided to the rebel groups. They were in this business for many years.
“On May 8, we apprehended hardcore ULFA-I cadre Dipanjit Handique alias Tejushree Asom from Kachamari Hatigar village in Chabua. His apprehension was a major success for us to get down ULFA-I activities in upper Assam. After demonetisation, the ULFA-I has suffered from financial crisis and the top brass of the outfit has ordered to speed up extortion drive,” said Army sources.