Guwahati: As Assam Police on Tuesday claimed that two ULFA (Independent) militants surrendered and more are preparing to desert the outfit, the militant group maintained that the ‘deserters’ were actually ‘agents’ of Indian military intelligence.
Police sources said, two militants of Paresh Barua-led anti-talks ULFA(I) surrendered before the Tinsukia police and laid down one AK81 rifle and ammunition.
They fled a Myanmar camp of the outfit to reach Tinsukia, on the easternmost fringe of Assam.
Revelations by the surrendered militants claimed that a group of about 8-10 militants, including the duo, had set out from the camp.
Two of the group were killed by NSCN (K) militants en route, on instruction of ULFA(I), while the rest of the militants are being held captive by the Naga rebels.
The surrendered duo claimed more members of ULFA(I) are planning to quit the outfit but have been unable to flee the camps. Another faction of the ULFA, led by Arabinda Rajkhowa, is engaged in peace talks with the government.
However, ULFA(I), in an emailed statement, claimed the two surrendered militants were part of a nine-member group of ‘Indian intelligence agents’ who were planted in the outfit in its latest ‘recruitment drive’.
The outfit claimed that the ‘agents’ were to loot the ULFA(I) armoury and report back to their bosses with details of the outfit by December 25 this year.
However, the ULFA(I) learnt of their designs and nabbed the ‘agents,’ with two managing to flee, who were reported to have surrendered before the police on Tuesday.
The outfit claimed it killed three of the ‘agents’ while trying to flee, while four are in its captivity and coded messages and names and addresses of intelligence agents have been recovered from them. (UNI)