By A O News Service
ITANAGAR Oct 15: A Myanmar-trained hardcore cadre of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA-I) surrendered before the Assam Rifles and local police at Nampong in in Changlang district on Wednesday last, making a significant in the fight against insurgency in the region.
The ultra, identified as Kaushik Gohain @ Dhananjay Sonowal Gohain @ Bokul Asom had recently escaped from the ULFA (I) camp in Myanmar’s Arakan region and made a gruesome journey back to India through treacherous terrain, PHQ sources told this daily on Tuesday.
According to Jairampur Police, the 20-year-old cadre disclosed that he had walked for several days through dense jungles over hills and across rivers amid the treacherous and dangerous terrain to reach Indian border.
Gohain, who hails from Kanjikhowa village in Assam’s Dibrugarh district, had been a member of the banned organization for several years after receiving extensive arms training in Myanmar before his desertion.
During his surrender, Gohain surrendered a 9mm pistol, a magazine and four rounds of live ammunition to the security forces.
“The surrender of such a highly trained militant is a significant blow to the ULFA(I)’s operation. It not only weaken their strength but also provides us with valuable intelligence about current activities and structure. We are hopeful that more militants would choose to abandon the path of violence to return to mainstream of life,” according to a senior police officicial.
The police have confirmed that Gohain is being interrogated at Margharita police station after being handed over by the Assam Rifles on Thursday last as top officers are trying to extract vital information regarding the outfit’s operation and structure.
The ULFA (I), a faction of the original ULFA headed by ‘military wing’s ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua and ‘political wing’ head Arabinda Rajkhowa based in Myanmar camp, had refused to take part in peace talks with the Govt and has been active in Assam for decades with the primary goal to establish a sovereign state of Assam through arms struggle.
It may be recalled here that on October 9, Union Ministry of Home Affairs had extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in Assam’s four districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo and Sivasagar as “disturbed area” for six months in view of the “recent disturbances” in Bangladesh and its potentially inimical effect on the internal law and order situation.
Reports from various agencies obtained through the police HQs have indicated that “due to sustained efforts and proactive counter-insurgency measures of the security forces, the overall scenario in Assam has significantly improved during the last few years and particularly during last three years”, a notification said.
Under the AFSPA, an area is declared “disturbed” for the convenience of security forces.
The proposal was submitted to the MoHA, which after due consideration decided to maintain the “status quo” regarding disturbed areas in the state for a further period of six months from October 1, the notification said.
The AFSPA was first imposed in Assam in November 1990 and has been extended every six months since then.
The Act empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior warrant. It also gives a certain level of immunity to the security forces in case of an operation going wrong.
On September 26 last, the AFSPA tag was extended in eight districts of Nagaland, three districts of Arunachal Pradesh and some other areas for six more months after a review of the law and order situation in both NE states.
The cry to repeal the Act gained renewed momentum following the death of 14 civilians in firing by security forces in a botched anti-insurgency operation and retaliatory violence in the Mon district of Nagaland on December 04.12. 2021.
However, on September 4 last, a memorandum of settlement was signed between the Govts. of India & Tripura, NLFT and ATTF in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
Exuding confidence in Modi government, NLFT and ATTF reaffirmed their commitment towards development of Tripura by ending 35-year-long conflict in the state.
NLFT and ATTF agree to shun violence, surrender all their arms and ammunition and disband their armed organizations. The armed cadres also agreed to engage in peaceful democratic process established by law and maintain the integrity of the country
Modi Govt. is committed to the development of entire NE while preserving the culture, language, identity of people as it not only bridged the distance between NE and Delhi through roads, railways and planes but also bridged the differences in their hearts.
Due to 12 agreements made by Modi Govt in NE, 10,000 militants left their arms and joined the mainstream. Under this agreement, a special package of Rs 250 crore was approved.
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