Ulfa men sneak in from Myanmar for Independence Day attacks

Guwahati: The security forces have been alerted that separatist outfits may try to launch an offensive to make their presence felt in the run-up to Independence Day in Assam, sources told this newspaper, and there were disturbing intelligence inputs that a seven-member team of Ulfa-I rebels led by Uday Asom had managed to sneak into India from their hideouts in Myanmar.

The sources said the group of armed rebels was now roaming close to the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border areas and waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Referring to intelligence inputs, the sources said that the group’s members were constantly in touch with the Ulfa-I top leadership, including Nayan Medhi and Arunodoi Asom. The sources said they had even managed to enter the Kakopathar area of Assam but fearing police action had retreated back to Arunachal Pradesh.

The sources said though the team of armed rebels was led by a Ulfa-I commander, some cadres belonging to other militant outfits were also part of the team. The sources said Ulfa-I was now desperate to make its presence felt in the state as its failure to carry out any major strike in the past few months had demoralised its cadres.

In the run-up to Independence Day, Ulfa-I is likely to target the security forces, and it is learnt it is also trying to rope in sympathisers to plant explosives in crowded localities. The sources did not rule out the possibility of Ulfa-I rebels outsourcing the job of planting explosives to some other outfits.

The Unified Command of the security forces has chalked out elaborate plans to thwart the designs of the militant groups, and security measures stepped up in and around all areas where the Independence Day celebrations will take place, the sources said, adding that all district police chiefs were asked to ensure a peaceful Independence Day in the state.