ULFA-I cader Rupanto Moran
‘Self-styled’ Lance Corporal of ULFA-I, Rupanto Moran (30), after being nabbed by a joint team of Assam Rifles and Arunachal Pradesh Police. Image credit – Twitter @easterncomd

The Assam Rifles in a joint operation with police nabbed a top anti-talk ULFA cadre with arms and ammunition from Ngoitong in Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district.

The cadre of the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) has been identified as ‘self-styled’ Lance Corporal Rupanto Moran (30), a resident of Assam’s Tinsukia district.

The joint team of Assam Rifles and Arunachal Pradesh Police recovered an MQ assault rifle with magazine, 49 rounds of live ammunition, combat dresses and other armaments from the possession of the rebel.

Also read: ULFA (I) rebel held with arms along Arunachal border

According to sources, the apprehended ULFA-I cadre during interrogation revealed that he had joined the banned ULFA-I in 2016 and underwent arms training at Taga Camp in Myanmar.

Rupanto Moran said, “I was serving for a private security agency at Chennai for three years before joining the outfit.”

Also read: 2 dozen GNLA cadres operate in 3 districts of Bangladesh under ULFA

The hardcore rebel, sources claimed, was planning to carry out subversive activities in Tinsukia district.

Meanwhile, based on inputs from intelligence, the Assam Rifles personnel have been intensifying anti-insurgency operations in various militant-infested areas like Khimiyang, Yanman and Ngoitang besides several adjoining areas including Jongphohate.

Informing about the apprehension of the ULFA-I cadre, the Eastern Command of the Army on its Twitter handle on Monday stated: “#AssamRifles in a joint #Op with police apprehended top ULFA (I) cadre with arms & ammunitions from Ngoitong, Changlang, Arunachal Pradesh on 20 Oct.”

“The apprehended cadre & recoveries have been handed over to police for further investigation,” it added.

It may be mentioned that the Assam Police has miserably failed to trace and rescue Gauranga Chandra Dey, the abducted tea factory technician of Sankar Tea Estate under Talap outpost in Tinsukia.

Dey was kidnapped by a group of unidentified armed miscreants on October 11, 2019 from the premises of Sankar Tea Estate factory.

Arundoy Asom, publicity secretary of the ULFA-I on Sunday last, denied the outfit’s involvement in the incidents that have taken place at Jagun and Pengeree area in Tinsukia recently.

Laxman Sharma is Northeast Now Correspondent in Digboi. He can be reached at: [email protected]