Assam: Army-police apprehended five ULFA-I insurgents, recovered huge cache of arms-ammunition
Guwahati, April 23: Army-police apprehended five ULFA-I insurgents. Security forces had apprehended five hardcore insurgents of banned outfit United Liberation Front of Asom – Independent (ULFA-I) in Assam’s Charaideo district along Assam-Arunachal Pradesh-Nagaland border.
Security forces on Thursday morning had recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition which were buried underground by the insurgents.
According to the reports, based on intelligence input about the movement of an insurgent group in the inter-state bordering areas, the Indian army and Assam police had jointly launched operations at the Tairai village area on Wednesday evening.
Charaideo district Superintendent of Police Anand Mishra said that, after receiving information that, five suspicious persons were holed up in the house of one Bhuvan Gogoi of Tairai village in Satianaguri area under Sapekhati police station, army and police had jointly launched an operation at the area.
“The Village was completely cordoned by late evening and a raid was conducted by Charaideo district police and army unit from Sapekhati COB of 244 Fd Rgt, wherein five hardcore insurgents of ULFA (I) have been apprehended from the house of the Bhuvan Gogoi,” the top cop said.
The apprehended insurgents were identified as Apurba Gogoi alias Arohan Asom, Simanta Gogoi alias Maina, Biraj Asom alias Yogen Gogoi, Lakshyajit Gogoi alias Dhrubo Asom and Sidhartha Gogoi alias Chinmoy Asom.
The top police official said that, they were unarmed when apprehended and today huge cache of arms and ammunition and other items were recovered which were buried underground by the insurgents from around 200 meters away from the house where they were hiding.
Security personnel had recovered three MQ 81 Assault Rifles, eight magazines of MQ 81, 323 rounds MQ 81 ammunition, one 7.65 mm pistol (Russian made) with magazine, one 0.22 mm pistol (Factory made) with a magazine, two rounds 0.22 ammunition, two rounds 7.65mm ammunition, 2 kg gelatine like explosive material, three meters (seven pieces) cortex, 16 detonators, ULFA-I uniforms, many other daily use items, medicines, and other warlike stores.
The top police official said that, Apurba Gogoi alias Arohan Asom, Simanta Gogoi alias Maina are most wanted insurgents and they are known as IED experts.
“Both of them have been wanted in a series of cases in Sivasagar, Charaideo districts since 2012. Other than numerous kidnappings, murders and extortion cases, they were involved in sensational cases of firing upon Kanubari Tea Factory, firing upon Sapekhati petrol pump, the kidnapping of Timon Habi Tea Estate Manager and the latest being the Republic Day bomb blast in Teok Ghat area under Sonari police station,” the Charaideo district SP said.
All the nabbed insurgents have been sanitized and are being put to medical scanning and COVID-19 tests too.
This capture should be a big blow to the presence and activities of ULFA-I in the area and with this operation, Charaideo district police have intensified their ‘Sanitization Drive’ against insurgency in the area.
