Army operation on in Asom

Guwahati, Jan 11: The Army operation is in full swing in Asom and the ULFA militants are on run.

Official sources said two ULFA militants had been arrested since yesterday. One was arrested with two AK 47 rifles from Hamern area of Karbi Anglong district and another from the Kotahbari area of the Guwahati.

However, there has been no untoward incident in the state for the last 24 hours.

The sources said most of ULFA militants, active in upper Asom, had been on the run and sneaked into neighboring Arunachal Pradesh on way to Myanmar.

''This is the problem. We have placed our men in Arunachal Pradesh but it is impossible to find them in the jungles,'' admitted senior Army sources.

The Changlang area of Tirap district is ridden with militants belonging to both ULFA and NSCN. They use the area as a safe corridor to reach out to unadministered Kachin area of Myanmar.

There was no fresh violence in Tinsukia district and Bihari labourers started leaving their camps to resume normal duty as curfew had been relaxed in the day.

However, even as the ULFA militants fled for cover, politicians have drawn their own battle lines.

NDA convener George Fernandes, after meeting the jailed ULFA leaders in Guwahati, met aged mother of the ULFA C-in-C Paresh Barua while Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and SP MP Jaya Bachhan blamed the state government for the ''total failure''.

While Bihar's NDA government was quick to denounce Assam's Congress government for the killings, UPA's Lalu Prasad assured all help to the victims of violence.

BJP President Rajnath Singh has demanded President's Rule in Asom. On the other hand SP's Amar Singh brought in an independent relief package for the victims.

''I have come on the ground of sympathy and I have not made any announcement. I have brought relief materials with me,'' he said.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, frustrated over the procession of leaders which has actually hampered relief work, announced that he would not react to any statements of any political leaders.

State Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma said, ''All we want to say is that please don't pursue your Uttar Pradesh agenda in Asom'' he said in regard of Amar Singh's statement.

Meanwhile, the Asom Gana Parishad and the All Asom Students Union (AASU) today sat on a 'dharna' in protest against the killings.

UNI