DIPHU: Around 40 cadres, including the commander-in-chief, of a tribal militant outfit in Assam surrendered in Karbi Anglong district of the state on Friday (June 02).
The militants, who surrendered, belonged to the Adivasi People’s Liberation Army (APLA).
The surrendered rebels also handed over a huge cache of arms and ammunition to the security forces in Assam.
The surrendered weapons included three AK series rifles, 19 pistols, five other rifles, two grenades and assorted live ammunition.
The Adivasi People’s Liberation Army (APLA) was formed as a break-away faction in 2019 of Adivasi National Liberation Army with about 125 members.
The commander-in-chief of the APLA, who also surrendered on Friday, has been identified as Sahil Munda.
Munda said that he and some other cadres of the outfit decided to lay down arms “after seeing the development taking place in the state under the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government and how problems of the Adivasi community are being addressed”.
“So, we have decided to return to the mainstream,” Munda said.