The Army on Friday apprehended two arms dealer and linkmen of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom- Independent (ULFA-I) at Naharkatia area in Upper Assam’s Dibrugarh district.
According to sources, acting on a tip-off, troops of the 9 Rajputana Rifles of the Army‘s Dao Division launched an operation and managed to nab the two linkmen from a sports utility vehicle (SUV) at Nanabat Nanke Chariali.
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The duo were identified as Jiten Saha, 31, a resident of Naharkatia, Dibrugarh and Junaid Ahmed, 28, from Sonari in Charaideo district.
One .22 pistol, two magazines and three cell phones were recovered from them. The two were 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), Saha used to double as an arms dealer supplying weapons to Northeast-based militant groups.
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Both of them procured arms and weapons from Nagaland and provided to the rebel group. They were in this business from many years.
Sources revealed that their arrest was a major blow to the rebel outfit. The security personnel have intensified their operation against the rebel outfit and in recent past many ULFA (I) rebels were arrested from different areas.
“On May 8, we have arrested hardcore ULFA (I) cadre Dipanjit Handique alias Tejushree Asomi from Kachamari Hatigar village, Chabua. His arrest was a major operation for us to get down ULFA (I) activities in upper Assam. ULFA (I) has become desperate after demonetization and the top brass of the outfit has ordered to speed up extortion drive,” said an army source.