Asom CM to take up 'missing' ULFA leaders issue with Centre

Guwahati, Apr 1 (UNI) Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has assured the fasting wives of the 'missing' ULFA leaders to personally take up the matter of their husbands' whereabouts with the Centre.

Mr Gogoi last night visited the wives of the five ULFA leaders who had been on an indefinite hunger strike since March 21 at the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital(MMCH) here.

The ULFA leaders had gone missing since 'Operation All Clear' in December 2003 which was launched against them in neighbouring Bhutan by the Royal Bhutan Army.

Informing about the chief minister's visit last night, state government spokesperson and Cabinet Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma said Mr Gogoi had also urged the fasting women to call off their strike.

''Though the hunger strike is yet to be called off, two of the striking women, whose health was deteriorating, agreed to be put on saline today after the chief minister's assurance,'' he added.

Mr Gogoi had assured them of taking up the issue with the Centre and making all efforts to find the whereabouts of the missing ULFA leaders.

The Gauhati High Court has also fixed the timeframe of mid-April for submitting the particulars of the missing ULFA leaders.

Mr Sharma further informed that a special team of four doctors and two attendants has been commissioned to monitor the health of the striking ULFA leaders' wives round-the-clock.

The women were forcibly admitted to the MMCH late on March 28 as their health showed signs of deterioration and they refused to call-off the hunger strike.

UNI