Security forces recover arms cache following Ulfa-I commander's arrest
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Dibrugarh: Security forces recovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition from a border area near Namsai along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border on Sunday. The operation was carried out based on information provided by recently arrested United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (Ulfa-I) operational commander Rupam Asom.
The joint operation, executed by Assam Police, the 23 Assam Rifles and Military Intelligence (Kolkata), resulted in the seizure of one MQ rifle, three magazines and 120 rounds of ammunition. The weapons cache was concealed by a member of the proscribed militant outfit Ulfa-I.
The breakthrough came following the arrest of Rupam, a self-styled brigadier of Ulfa-I, who was apprehended by Tinsukia police on Saturday.
Rupam, an operational commander of the banned organisation, was captured from Lekhapani forest in Tinsukia district during a coordinated police operation.
"Based on information provided by Rupam, Assam Police, 23 Assam Rifles and Military Intelligence, Kolkata, questioned surrendered Ulfa-I cadre Biju Asom on May 24 and obtained details about the MQ rifle and ammunition," a police official said.
Security forces questioned Biju, a surrendered cadre of the militant outfit, who corroborated the information provided by Rupam.
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The information provided by the arrested commander and the surrendered militant ultimately led the security forces to the concealed weapons cache.
According to police, Biju previously escaped from Rupam's group in Namsai on March 22, taking the MQ rifle with him. Following his escape, Biju subsequently surrendered before the SP in Sivasagar.
Rupam, who was nabbed on Saturday, has been implicated in multiple violent activities, including the 2018 killing of Bhaskar Kalita, the OC of Bordumsa Police Station.
His name had appeared in a chargesheet filed by the National Investigation Agency.
Tinsukia SP Abhijit Gurav said security forces are conducting extensive combing operations along the Assam-Arunachal border to apprehend other members of Rupam's group.
"The operation is still underway, and we are intensifying efforts to capture the other members of his group," the SP added.
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