Assam: Key ULFA (I) rebel surrenders in Tinsukia after joint operation

Guwahati: Security forces in Upper Assam have achieved a major breakthrough with the surrender of a key ULFA (I) militant.

Self-styled SS Corporal Samiran Chetia, also known by the alias Prabin Asom, surrendered before Tinsukia Police on Tuesday following a coordinated joint operation.

Chetia was an active member of the banned militant outfit, the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent).

Official sources confirmed that the surrender was the result of an operation conducted jointly by Tinsukia Police and security forces, acting on specific intelligence about Chetia’s movements.

“The operation was based on precise intelligence, and it was executed without any exchange of fire,” a senior police official stated. They described the event as a “significant success in the region’s ongoing counter-insurgency efforts.”

Preliminary investigations indicate Chetia, a resident of Jagun in Tinsukia district, joined ULFA (I) in 2022. His militant background is further complicated by his reported prior association with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).

Security officials emphasized the strategic importance of this surrender. “Chetia’s surrender not only weakens ULFA (I)’s network in Upper Assam but also reaffirms the success of our intensified operations and rehabilitation efforts,” a senior officer said.

The incident is part of a broader trend, with multiple ULFA (I) cadres laying down arms in Upper Assam in recent months due to sustained security pressure and outreach initiatives.

Security forces are now focused on leveraging the surrender for intelligence. “His surrender will help us gather vital intelligence on ULFA (I)’s current structure and movement patterns along the Assam–Arunachal border,” another official noted.

Interrogation and debriefing are currently underway.