india

Updated: Apr 23, 2020 13:46 IST

In two separate operations, Indian Army and Assam Police apprehended five hardcore United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I) cadres and rescued seven minors recruited recently, the army and police said on Thursday.

Five members of the proscribed outfit were nabbed by a joint team in Charaideo district of upper Assam early on Thursday and that led to the seizure of a large cache of arms.

“Based on a tip-off we cordoned Tairai village on Wednesday night and nabbed the ULFA-I cadres who were holed up in the house of one Bhuban Gogoi,” Charaideo district superintendent of police Anand Mishra said.

The arrested men were identified as Apurba Gogoi, Simanta Gogoi, Yogen Gogoi, Lakhyajit Gogoi and Siddhartha Gogoi.

“All of them are hardcore cadres who are experts in bomb making as well. They were involved in several cases of murders, extortions, kidnappings since 2012 as well as the Republic Day blast this year in Sonari,” said Mishra.

Though the cadres were unarmed at the time of their arrest their interrogation led to recovery of several assault rifles, pistols, ammunition and bomb making materials.

In a separate operation, seven minors who were recently recruited by ULFA-I were rescued by the Indian Army and Assam Police in a joint operation.

The teams were also able to nab four other members and six over ground workers of the proscribed outfit in the operation carried out in six districts of Assam on April 21 and 22.

“Based on specific intelligence input, the joint teams launched a well-coordinated and intensive campaign spread over Golaghat, Jorhat, Sibsagar, Charaideo, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts,” the army said in a statement.

According to the army, the arrested ULFA-I cadres and over ground workers were actively involved in recruiting new cadres and had been successful in luring several youths to join the outfit.

“The rescued youths belonging to well-to-do families were influenced and lured into joining the insurgent group through social media and online propaganda videos,” the statement said.

Following their rescue, the seven minors were counselled and reunited with their parents. “They were rejuvenated to see their missing children especially in these tough times of Covid-19 pandemic,” the statement said.

The four cadres and six over ground workers have been handed over to Assam Police for further investigation.