Garo Hills continue to be ULFA's "safe-sanctuary"

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Shillong, July 13 (UNI) The outlawed ULFA is still using Garo Hills in Meghalaya as a corridor to Bangladesh even as New Delhi was trying to forge peace talks, top officials here said.

The outfit, also keen on going for talks with the PMO to resolve its two-and-half-decade-long demand for ''Sunor Asom'' (sovereign Asom), was still carrying out hit and run operations in Brahmaputra valley and sneaking into Garo Hills to evade army operations.

Meghalaya Director General of Police William Richmond Marbaniang told UNI here that the banned outfit from Asom was still a security threat for the state.

'' The ULFA always used Garo Hills as a corridor to enter Bangladesh, '' he said.

The DGP said the state police would swing into action if there was any report of ULFA presence in Garo Hills, but denied reports of ULFA making their den in Garo Hills.

'' We will not allow any anti-national element using the state as their corridor or safe haven, '' he stated.

As per intelligence reports here, the ULFA militants had strong presence along the Asom-Meghalaya border taking advantage of the peaceful atmosphere in Garo Hills after the outlawed tribal Garo militant outfit, the A'chik National Volunteers Council, signed a tripartite ceasefire pact with the State government and the Centre.

'' ULFA has been using Garo Hills not only as their corridor to Bangladesh, but also as their safe haven to evade combing operations, '' an intelligence official said adding Garo Hills was also known as ULFA's storehouse for dumping their weapons.

In the past, the Meghalaya police had arrested a number of senior ULFA cadres and also killed a good number of them in Garo Hills.

The state police also seized huge cache of arms and ammunition.

Meghalaya shares 442-km-long porous border with Bangladesh.

The militants safely cross over to camps in Bangladesh through the inaccessible terrains.

UNI RRK TJP SJC VD VV1942

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