Assam police on Friday arrested two active members of the banned militant group United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) in an intelligence-based operation in Tinsukia district.
The two were arrested during a joint operation by Tinsukia police and central intelligence agencies at Jagun Bazaar area of the district. Police identified them as Humenjyoti Baruah (27), alias Siyor Asom, a resident of Panitola, and Papu Moran (30), alias Manoj Asom, of Baghjan. Both are self-styled second lieutenants of ULFA-I.
Police on Saturday said that the duo had planned to carry out indiscriminate firing and grenade attacks on civilians in Tinsukia town.
According to Tinsukia senior superintendent of police (SSP) Mayank Kumar, the plan was to first open fire in a crowded area of the town before hurling grenades to trigger panic among civilians.
“They came with a plan to open fire on civilians in a populated area of Tinsukia town. After the firing, they would have exploded bombs in a dense public place,” Kumar said.
He added that timely intelligence inputs and coordinated action by police and central agencies prevented the attack before it could be carried out.
According to the SSP, the duo entered Assam from ULFA-I camps in Myanmar through the Jairampur area of Arunachal Pradesh before being intercepted while travelling in a four-wheeler.
He said that during the operation, police recovered two AK-56 rifles, 172 rounds of live AK-series ammunition, two hand grenades, backpacks, food supplies meant for prolonged jungle survival, a medicine kit containing syringes and opioid-based medicines, cash and other logistical materials during the operation.
Kumar said both men had been active members of the outfit since 2018 and were involved in several major insurgency-related incidents, including attacks on the Jagun Commando Camp and the Kakopathar Army Camp, besides kidnapping cases.
“They were part of almost all the recent attacks conducted by ULFA-I in Assam and this time the plan was much bigger,” Kumar said.
Police said a case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Arms Act and the Explosive Substances Act. The two accused remain in police custody and further investigation is underway.
ULFA-I, led by Paresh Baruah, is the only faction of the insurgent outfit that has stayed away from peace talks with the Centre and the Assam government. The group continues to operate from camps along the India-Myanmar border and has been linked by security agencies to several militant attacks in Assam.
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