Meghalaya police in hot pursuit of escaped ULFA commander

WILLIAMNAGAR: Police teams are in hot pursuit of dreaded IED expert and ULFA commander Dristi Rajkhowa who was with slain GNLA rebel chief Sohan D Shira but managed to escape during the encounter with SF-10 commandos at Dobu on Saturday morning.
“The BSF have been alerted to be extra vigilant along the Indo-Bangla border as there is a possibility of the ULFA commander crossing the international border to escape following the death of Sohan Shira,” said Meghalaya DGP S B Singh to The Shillong Times on his arrival at Williamnagar late Saturday night to review security following the Dobu encounter.
According to the police chief there are two possibilities for the GNLA, one being to regroup under the guidance of Dristi and the other to surrender.
“I don’t see the possibility of the GNLA rallying behind the ULFA leader because it was Dristi himself who needed the support and shelter of Sohan himself,” said the head of the state force.
According to the police chief, the 54 year old ULFA commander had left Bangladesh in 2016 due to intense pressure from security forces in that country bringing with him half a dozen close aides. Since then he had been holed up with Sohan in various jungle hideouts inside Garo Hills.
At the time of Sohan’s death he was down to just one follower with the others having returned to Bangladesh while another had surrendered to the BSF, one week ago.
But police are not ruling out anything as yet. Dristi Rajkhowa, who’s actual name is Manoj Rabha is the ULFA’s explosive expert who trained the GNLA in the preparation and use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) with deadly results.
There are still the likes of Rahul, Wilam, Newak, Dilwak and Nokchak, five hardcore GNLA rebels who swore by Sohan’s leadership who are still out on the field with Dristi Rajkhowa.