PCG member, Deccan employee arrested for planning plane hijack

Guwahati, Feb 11 (UNI) The Assam police today arrested PCG member Lachit Bardoloi and an Air Deccan employee for involvement in the ULFA conspiracy to hijack an Indian Airlines flight.

Assam Inspector General of Police Khagen Sharma here said that human rights activist Bardoloi, a member of the oufit's Peoples Consultative Group (PCG) formed for holding talks with the Centre for the peace truce, was arrested from Moran in Upper Assam and Air Deccan employee Suman Dutta from his residence at Azara area here.

Both of them were arrested following a tip-off from another arrested ULFA leader Manoj Tamuly, the IGP said, adding that Tamuly had disclosed the names of some prominent lawyers, including Nekibur Zaman, in the conspiracy.

Zaman, who has been appearing for the ULFA in various courts of the country for past 20 years, was arrested from a hospital yesterday.

Police said that the banned militant group had planned to hijack an Indian plane to Pakistan.

IGP Sharma said that Tamuly was arrested from the city last night with a pistol and four rounds of ammunition.

Besides, a laptop containing some ULFA details was also recovered from Bardoloi.

He also informed that Tamuly had received hijacking training from ISI operatives in the jungles of Baska districts of Assam, adjacent to the Bhutan border.

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