Intelligence warns of ULFA-I’s planned sabotage ahead of Nov 28 'Protest Day'

Guwahati, Nov 14: Multiple intelligence inputs suggest that the Inputs received by intelligence agencies said a group of armed United Liberation Front of Asom- Independent (ULFA-I)  is getting active in the region and plans to indulge in a fresh string of sabotage acts in the run-up to its 'protest day' on November 28, keeping security agencies on its toes. Inputs received by intelligence agencies said a group of armed ULFA-(I)  cadres had sneaked into Assam from Myanmar. The group has been tasked to recruit, ambush security forces, collect extortion, and organise sabotage, particularly in Jorhat district.

A separate group has entered western Assam from Bangladesh and has been assigned similar tasks in Baksa, Barpeta, and Nalbari, according to another input. The entry from Bangladesh holds significance from the fact that the outfit was trying to revive its ties with its old allies in the neighbouring country following the turmoil.

On Tuesday, police recovered an IED from two former Adivashi cadres at Rangajan in Golaghat district. It is learnt that the explosive was being transported by ULFA and was to be exploded ahead of November 28. A combined group of ULFA and NSCN/K-Yung Aung cadres was also active in the border areas of the Assam-Tuli subdivision of Nagaland. "Inputs also said that the ULFA (I) was conducting tests to check the duration of a timer mechanism attached to the explosive unit. A charging capacity of these timers for 45 days is being tested for IEDs. These IEDs may likely be placed at various locations across the state on ULFA (I) Protest Day," sources said.

This comes after the failure of explosives planted during Independence Day. The outfit had claimed that the explosives—over a dozen of them—did not explode due to "technical errors," while police had also claimed that the timer mechanism did not work.

There are reports of the outfit upping its extortion and recruitment drives in the state, particularly in Upper Assam.

"The situation in Myanmar has helped the outfit revive. The Myanmar Army is overstressed in fighting over 350 rebel groups in the civil war in the neighbouring country, and there has been no action against Indian insurgents there in the last few years," sources privy to the developments said.

The last time the Myanmar army had acted against the ULFA (I) was in 2019 during Operation Sunrise, but sources said that was part of a deal struck with the Indian government under which Indian forces would crack down on Arakan Army rebels along the border areas.

But later, the Myanmar army reportedly withdrew from the areas where Indian insurgents had camps like Taga in the Sagaign region.

According to information available with security agencies, the ULFA (1) currently has four major camps: 'Diamond Camp' near Hoyat village (Myanmar), 'Arakan Camp' co-located with Yung Aung's Lenghon camp, near Lahon in Nanyun township (a joint camp with PLA, UNLF/Koireng), 'Central Mobile headquarters' (779) located in the Waktham area across BP-173, and another at Hakhi in the Pangsau area.

The cadre strength of the outfit is estimated between 250- 400 at present.

In the last week of October, security forces had nabbed at least 10 linkmen of the ULFA who were engaged by the outfit for tasks like identifying extortion targets from different places of Upper Assam.

By-

Rituraj Borthakur