Ulfa, NDFB rebels surrender to BSF

From The Telegraph

OUR CORRESPONDENT

NDFB cadre Jadhav Boro and Ulfa cadre Mahesh Bora. Telegraph picture Shillong, Sept. 20: Two militants of the outlawed Ulfa and National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) today surrendered before BSF inspector-general, Assam and Meghalaya frontier, R.C. Saxena, here along with small arms and ammunition. The Ulfa cadre, Mahesh Bora alias Biman Kalita of Jorhat district, joined the outfit in 2006 and received training in a camp in Myanmar (Papong Basti) along with another 50 cadres for six months. Bora was active in areas falling under Jorhat district and allegedly involved in extortion, killing and kidnapping. “At present, there are about 150 cadres in the Myanmar camp,” Bora said after the surrender ceremony. Asked whether he had met Ulfa commander-in-chief Paresh Barua, Bora replied in the negative. “From now on, I will try to concentrate in some business activities,” he said. “Poverty was the main reason which pushed me to join Ulfa.” The NDFB cadre, Jadhav Boro alias Jadhan Mesh from Golaghat district, joined the outfit in 2003, motivated and persuaded by his colleague Khobai Boro alias Doctor. Jadhav was a self-styled corporal in the group. He was trained for three months in Bangladesh along with 12 other cadres. After returning India in 2003, he was active in Naogam, Karbi Anglong and Golaghat districts. He was alleged to have been involved in extortion, killing and kidnapping and is wanted by Assam police in many cases, including a grenade blast in the Denta Ghat area of Karbi Anglong. The duo surrendered two 7.65mm pistols, two magazines and eight rounds of ammunition. Saxena, while replying to queries, said the BSF did not have specific information on the whereabouts of Paresh Barua amid reports that the Ulfa leader has fled to China from Myanmar. “We do not have concrete information on the whereabouts of Barua,” he said. Asked about the Ulfa activities in Garo hills, Saxena said infiltration by the outfit’s cadres into Meghalaya has come down drastically in view of increased vigilance. However, he said, infiltration from the riverine areas in the Guwahati sector cannot be fully curbed since fencing in such areas is not feasible. He said fencing on international border in the Assam and Meghalaya sectors is in progress. While the total area to be fenced is 571.6 km, 248.6 km has been completed. This year, BSF troops of the Assam and Meghalaya frontier killed four hardcore militants of Ulfa and Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (Military Council), apprehended 17 militants belonging to the Hynneiwtrep National Liberation Council, KLNLF, Peoples Liberation Army, Kangleipak Communist Party (Military Council), United National Liberation Front, Muslim Liberation Tigers of Assam and Huji among others. They also got nine militants of Ulfa, NDFB and All Adivasi National Liberation Army to surrender along with arms and ammunition.