Two hardcore ULFA-I militants surrender in Arunachal Pradesh

Dibrugarh: In a setback to the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent), two active cadres of the banned outfit surrendered before security forces in Arunachal Pradesh’s Namsai on Tuesday.

The Myanmar-trained militants, identified as Bhargab Hazarika alias Ban Asom and Astitva Axom, later handed over to Tinsukia police for interrogation and further legal procedures.

Confirming the development, SSP Tinsukia Mayank Kumar described the surrender as “a positive step in our ongoing efforts to neutralise insurgent activities.”

Bhargab Hazarika, a resident of Dibrugarh district, also assisted security forces in an arms recovery operation. Acting on his lead, teams raided a hideout in Nongtaw Khampti village and seized a cache of weapons, including a sophisticated MQ-81 rifle, 153 live rounds, and one rifle grenade round.

Bhargab was among a seven-member ULFA-I group involved in an intense gunfight with the Assam Rifles in the same village on October 21, during which militant Iwon Asom was killed.

The latest surrender gains significance as it comes soon after the high-profile surrender of ULFA-I’s self-styled ‘major general’ Arunodoi Dohutia alias Bijit Gogoi on November 23.