Jorhat, May 9 : Security forces have traced to Nagaland the phone number from which Ulfa militants have been making ransom calls to the chief executive member of the Thengal Kachari Autonomous Council.
The Airtel phone number, 8974038113, from which the outfit has been calling Kumud Kachari, the chief executive member of the Titabar-based autonomous council, is registered in the name of Chandan who hails from Jarapani village (house no. 916), Medziphema, on the Dimapur-Kohima road in Nagaland.
Kachari was served an extortion notice of Rs 10 lakh on April 27 on an Ulfa letterhead with May 6 as the deadline. The letter was signed by the commander and financial officer of Ulfa’s 28th battalion.
The next day, Kachari received a call from Bijit Gogoi, a self-proclaimed Ulfa leader, to pay the amount. He, however, refused to do so, saying that he had no power to give out council funds, which were sanctioned only for projects and after a proper procedure.
“I explained that I had no financial powers and this was vested with the 22 members of the elected council and principal secretary Durga Baruah. I also told the Ulfa cadre that if the outfit was willing to do any development work in the council areas, it could submit a proposal and after discussion by the council members the scheme could be sanctioned,” Kachari said.
Police sources said Ulfa then contacted Baruah and demanded that he find ways to give the money. Baruah told them that he could not do so as he was a government employee and could sign no cheque without the consent of the council’s chief executive member and other members.
“Despite that the cadre questioned whether I was an Assamese and whether my patriotism was towards my country,” he added.
Yesterday, a day after the deadline for payment, Kachari again received a phone call from Bijit who asked him to pay either from council funds or his own pocket or face dire consequences.
Kachari refused again and lodged a complaint with the police.
An official at Titabar police station said “investigations were on” and the culprits would be arrested soon.
He refused to divulge the details.
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