Two ULFA militant arrested in Meghalaya

Shillong, Jan 23 (UNI) Meghalaya police have arrested two ULFA militants from Umtngam village in Ri-Bhoi district bordering Karbi Anglong district of Asom yesterday.

Police said here today that the arrested militants identified as - Ajit Baruah alias Amit Gogoi and Subash Batrai alias Bidut Batrai, who were members of the outfit's 27 battalion.

The latest arrest of these ULFA militants assumed significance in the backdrop of the recent arrest of an ULFA ''seargent major'' Rajeev Basumatry, along with the outfit's gunrunner Wansanlang Rympei, from Bhoirymbong area near Umroi airport in state's Ri-Bhoi district.

Police said the ULFA cadres entered the state following the ongoing massive operation against the ULFA in Asom.

''We have got reports of the movement of ULFA militants in Ri-Bhoi and keeping a close watch,'' state Director General of Police William Richmond Marbaniang told UNI here today.

However, Mr Marbaniang refused to divulge further details on the arrest of ULFA militants. ''We are still on with our interrogation and will not disclose anything at this juncture,'' the DGP said, citing it might hamper the investigation.

Meanwhile, police sources said the state police, with the help of Special Operation Team, have launched a flush-out operation in Ri-Bhoi area especially bordering Asom' Karbi Anglong.

Security had been beefed up at the entry points between Asom and Meghalaya to detect the ULFA cadres sneaking into the state.

The ULFA had also been using state's Garo Hills districts as their 'safe sanctuary' to escape from the security forces dragnets and as their 'transit route' to Bangladesh.

In another breakthrough, state police recently arrested three more Dima Halam Daogah militants from Khyndai-Lad, the commercial hub centre of the state.

The trio, identified as Vidyudth Phonglong, Mondesh Kamprei and Ranajit Haflongbar have confessed to police that they were members of the DHD.

Meanwhile, police are interrogating all the five arrested militants.

UNI