Police wants to nip militant group in bud

Siliguri, Sep 27 (UNI) West Bengal police is trying to nip in the bud a newly formed militant group United Gorkha Revolutionary Army (UGRA) that is spreading wings in Darjeeling areas in demand of a separate state.

Police has captured four militants of this extremist outfitand have recovered arms and posters which the police is using to trace the leader.

Superintendent of Police Darjeeling Rajesh Subarno told UNI that these people have organised the outfit with the demand of separate state of 'Gorkhaland'.

An ex-cop of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) named Ajay Dahal heads the organization, he said. He added that during the operation against UGRA four member of the group were arrested, but Dahal is still at large.

According to an intelligence source, UGRA is running camps at Loverboat area in Bhutan forest and along the banks of river Jaldhaka under Kalimpong sub-division of Darjeeling district.

Intelligence sources said that the newly formed extremist outfit, UGRA, was spreading leaflets and putting up posters at different places of Kurseong, Kalimpong and Darjeeling.

West Bengal police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jointly organised operation against the outfit in Bhutan forest and found the camp abandoned. Intelligence sources suspected that Ajay was in Nepal as he had links with some Maoist groups in Nepal.

According to IB officials, it was suspected that the group got its arms from the Maoists in Nepal. They said that the group was started with 16 members, out of which 4 had been arrested.

Meanwhile, the security arrangement of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) chairman had been tightened up.

UNI XC BA SS1221