The Ministry of Defence has claimed that the ‘surrender’ of ULFA deputy commander-in-chief Drishti Rajkhowa was the result of Indian Army’s ‘swift and well planned operation’.
The Ministry of Defence on Thursday issued a statement at 9.59 am, claiming that the surrender was the result of an operation of the Army Intelligence agencies at the Meghalaya-Assam-Bangladesh border.
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The headline of the press release by the Ministry of Defence ‘Top ULFA(I) leader Drishti Rajkhowa surrenders to India Army’ is sure to surprise everyone in Northeast India.
Interestingly, the Ministry of Defence got the location wrong as Bolbogkre village is along the Bangladesh border in South Garo hills district, and nowhere near the Assam border.
Moreover, the Ministry of Defence press release also got the name of the ULFA deputy commander-in-chief wrong. In the press release the name was mentioned as ‘Dirsthi’.
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“The operation was based on confirmed inputs, which was a result of relentless pursuit over the last nine months,” the Defence Ministry press release claimed.
On Wednesday, it was reported by everyone that Drishti Rajkhowa had surrendered following a 30-minute gunbattle with the SF commandos of Meghalaya Police near Bolbogkre village in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya.
The ULFA (I) leader had surrendered along with four other cadres of the outfit, and they have been identified as Vedanta Asom, Yasin Asom, Rupjyoti Asom and Mithun Asom.
Even the Meghalaya Police on Thursday tweeted at 6.22 am that Drishti Rajkhowa was handed over to the Assam Police and the security forces.
The Meghalaya Police tweet also reaffirmed that the ULFA deputy commander-in-chief had surrendered on ‘Wednesday evening to Meghalaya Police’.
Deputy Commander-in-Chief of United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I) Dhristi Rajkhowa has been handed over to @assampolice and Security Forces, after he surrendered on Wednesday evening to Meghalaya Police. pic.twitter.com/YeMFNIvTPJ
— Meghalaya Police (@MeghalayaPolice) November 12, 2020
Meghalaya Police’s SF-10 commandos may have been tipped off by the Army Intelligence units, but it will definitely be wrong to claim that ULFA deputy commander-in-chief surrendered to Indian Army.
While SF-10 commandos fought the gun battle for half an hour to force the surrender of the dreaded ULFA commander, the credit for the success should go to the Meghalaya Police.
Unfortunately, the press release issued by the Ministry of Defence did not mention anything about Meghalaya Police’s active role in the surrender of the ULFA deputy commander-in-chief.