Security forces arrest 11 NDFB(S) militants in Assam

Guwahati: Eleven NDFB(S) militants, who had massacred 81 persons on 23 December last, were today apprehended and a large quantity of arms and ammunition recovered from them in a joint police and army operation in Chirang district of Assam, official sources said. The militants of the NDFB(S), including an IED expert, were nabbed from Panbari Forest area, IGP LR Bishnoi told PTI.[caption id=“attachment_2017317” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Assam Police personnel. PTI[/caption] The apprehended insurgents include Deven Goyari, Hokom Boro, Upendra Nath, Raton Bengali, Namal Basumatary, Sanjay Goyari, Ulla Basumatary, Raju Boro, Konin Basumatary, Prakash Narzary alias Gahen and Ranjan Basumatary alias Kipihungla, Bishnoi said. The recovered arms and ammunition include two improvised explosive devices (IED), nine detonators, two 7.65 mm pistols, ten rounds of 7.65 mm ammunition, five rounds of 7.62 mm pistol ammunition and a packet of ball bearings, he said. Goyari is an important cadre of the outfit and an IED expert who had made an unsuccessful attempt to plant a bomb against the army in December last year, defence sources said. The other major catches are Raton Bengali who was involved in providing information and other assistance to the underground outfit leading to the 23 December last carnage and Prakash Narzary alias Gahen, a locally trained cadre who is active since 2012. Based on intelligence provided by Gajraj Intelligence Unit, troops of Army’s Red Horn Division with the police nabbed the 11 ultras giving a blow to the subversive activities of the insurgent group as they depend heavily on the local cadre to provide them with all the necessary assistance to execute their insurgency activities, the sources said. After the National Democratic Front of Bodoland-Songbijit carried out the 23 December attack, the police and army have been carrying out operations in inaccessible forest areas of Kokrajhar and Chirang districts. On 17 January a hardcore militant and a major linkman were apprehended with explosives during two army operations. Hardcore extremist Dipak Boro alias Dwantham was nabbed from Dongmari (Habibari) in Baksa district, while a major linkman was nabbed with detonators at Mirza (Palasbari) near Guwahati. On the same day a large quantity of arms and ammunition used by the NDFB(S) were recovered from forests along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border by a joint team of Army, Assam Police and NIA. On 12 January, nine hardcore insurgents, including its ‘chief recruiting officer’ and Belsiri ‘platoon commander’ were arrested along with arms and ammunition in Chirang district and eight others apprehended the next day in Amteka jungle area along the Indo-Bhutan border, the sources said. On 10 January altogether 12 ultras, including a ‘deputy commandant’ and its central council member, were apprehended during a joint operation by police, SSB and CRPF in Manas Reserve Forest area in Chirang district. On the same day another NDFB-S ‘platoon commander’ Jailing alias Jagat Basumatary carrying a reward of Rs five lakh on his head for his alleged ‘direct involvement’ in the December 23 killing at Pakhriguri area of Kokrajhar district, was killed in an encounter with police and SSB near Khousibazar in the district. On 8 January, seven militants including its Kokrajhar platoon ‘second-in-command’ Mithinga and Khuren along with their four associates were arrested from Serfanguri in Kokrajhar district for their alleged direct involvement in the killings, the sources said. Two more cadre of NDFB(S) Kokrajhar platoon - Genda Basumatary and Bullet - were arrested in Kolabari area on the same day. On 7 January an NDFB-S ultra - Jagadish Basumatary - was arrested from Chirang district. On 6 January, 8 kg explosives were recovered from two NDFB(S) militants and two arms dealers were arrested with weapons in Kokrajhar district, they added. PTI