Date:28/08/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/08/28/stories/2004082806761200.htm

Other States - Assam

Seventy militants surrender in Assam

By Sushanta Talukdar

GUWAHATI, AUG. 27. Seventy members of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), the Bengali Tiger Force (BTF) and the Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam (MULTA) today surrendered before the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 4 Corps of the Army, Lt. Gen A.S. Jamwal, at Chariduar in Sonitpur district.

The 47 members of the ULFA, 11 of the NDFB, eight of the MULTA and four of the BTF laid down several AK-47 rifles, 9mm pistols, revolvers and 264 live ammunitions before the GOC.

The self-styled "Corporal" of the ULFA, Jibon Moran, said differences had cropped up in the outfit following the Dhemaji blast that claimed 13 innocent lives.

Mr. Moran was the controller of the outfit's "28th battalion" known as the "Kashmir Camp". The "battalion" having a cadre strength of about 500, operates in the upper Assam districts.

Gen. Jamwal said efforts were on to create an awareness at the grassroots level on the need to be more cautious about the insurgents' game plan.