Assam alerts Nagaland on Ulfa

Cops apprehend sabotage by anti-talks group

Jorhat, June 29 : Assam police have apprised their Nagaland counterpart about Ulfa trying to regroup in Mon district of the neighbouring state, which borders Sivasagar district of Assam.

Assam police are apprehensive that the anti-talks faction of the outfit might try to carry out sabotage in the state, particularly in the districts bordering Nagaland. Sources in the home department said Nagaland has been asked to take the necessary steps.

Sivasagar district superintendent of police A. Singh told The Telegraph today that he had already informed the police headquarters about the development. The matter has also come up for discussion during a meeting of senior police and district administration officials of Jorhat, Sivasagar, Mokokchung and Mon at Mokokchung recently.

The police have cautioned the leaders of Ulfa’s pro-talks group to be on guard as they could come under attack from the anti-talks faction. A few of the top leaders of the pro-talks group, including the outfit’s chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa, and vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi hail from Sivasagar district.

A leader of the pro-talks group of Ulfa said they were aware that they could be the target of the anti-talks faction and had been taking necessary measures.

He also said it was known that Mon district had been a hotbed of Ulfa activity for several decades now. “Ulfa cadres have been using Mon district as a safe passage to Myanmar with the help of Khaplang faction of the NSCN,” he added.

The superintendent of police of Mon district, I.N. Sangtam, however, said he had no information about Ulfa trying to set up bases in the district. “We have no information in this regard,” he said. He said he would take the necessary steps if Assam police provided him information.

“A few Ulfa cadres may have used Mon district while travelling from Myanmar to Assam but I don’t believe that they have set up camps in the district,” he said.

Sources said it would not be easy for Nagaland police to launch an operation against Ulfa if they were trying to set up bases in Mon district as these cadres were taking help from the Khaplang group of the NSCN, which is currently in a ceasefire with the Centre.

The NSCN (K) has been providing logistical support to Ulfa to set up bases at Myanmar. It also helps Ulfa cadres to travel from Assam to Myanmar camps via Mon district.