ULFA men with RBI extortion link held

Guwahati, July 8 (UNI) Two militants and a linkman, involved with the ULFA's extortion demand to the RBI, were arrested from Bharalumukh area of the city today.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rajen Singh informed that a grenade was recovered from the trio.

The militants held today were suspected to have links with the RBI extortion note.

The ULFA had served an extortion notice to the Regional Director of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for an amount of Rs 15 lakh four days ago, according to an intelligence source.

The ULFA cadres have been identified as Mantu Bezbarua of Kalitakuchi, Hajo, and Gautam Sarania alias Rahul Deka of Barbari, Baska district. The linkman was one Mintu Das of Ketpuha, Nalbari.

The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) had allegedly stepped up its extortion activities with reports of enfortion notice being served to many businessmen of the city.

Earlier, the ULFA had slamped an extortion demand of Rs 50 crore to the ONGC.

The recent spate in extortion demands assumes added significance in the wake of the outfit's latest positive response for direct talks with the Centre.

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