In what may be a major setback to the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa), at least four top Ulfa leaders have established contact with the security forces to lay down arms. Disclosing that top Ulfa leaders, also known to be the close confidant of elusive Ulfa chief Paresh Baruah, have already deserted the outfit, authoritative security sources claimed that Ulfa leaders like Muhim Gogoi and Rohendra Moran are already with the police to surrender while many others have expressed their willingness to give up armed struggle of the Ulfa. In what has come close on the heels of Ulfa sending extortion notes to Congress and BJP legislators in Upper Assam, the surrender of self-style field commanders will be a major blow to the outfit. Pointing out that Muhim Gogoi was a close associate of elusive Ulfa chief in its Burma camps, security sources, however, admitted that Ulfa chief was trying to replace its field commanders in Upper Assam with new recruits but security forces caught majority of them. Claiming that security of legislators receiving threat and extortion notes from Ulfa have also been intensified, security sources said that Ulfa was forcing and threatening Congress legislators from Sadiya Assembly constituency Bolin Chetia and BJP legislator from Doom Dooma Assembly constituency Dilip Moran to pay '20 lakhs each. Pointing out that threatening calls were originating from Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, security sources said that security forces have also mounted pressure on Ulfa rebels in neighbouring states of Arunachal and Nagaland.
