Forces on alert to foil Ulfa bid to recruit, extort

Guwahati: The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) has intensified its extortion drive and recruitment of youth in Upper Assam districts.

Disclosing that elusive Ulfa (I) chief Paresh Baruah has also roped in some of its old cadres who had given up arms, security sources told this newspaper that security agency was keeping a close watch on their activities as they are suspected to have been helping the outfit in recruitment of new cadres and extortion.

Informing that Assam police have also been asked to alert village defence parties (VDP) and citizens committee to keep a watch on youths missing from their respective areas, security sources claimed that at least 15 new recruits from Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts have already reached Myanmar for training.

Indicating that security forces have succeeded in apprehending some of the new recruits who were on their way to Myanmar, security sources said that some linkmen have also been arrested. Security sources said that outfit was targeting the unemployed youths for recruitments and offering handsome stipend too to lure them.