NDFB rebels admit killings, links with small groups

Shillong, Feb 13 (PTI) Two top NDFB militants,arrested along with three other cadres and a sympathizer inMeghalaya, have admitted their involvement in a number ofkillings and blasts in Assam, besides links with smallermilitant groups, police said.

Lachit Boro alias Langana confessed to have killed 26people, including those in the serial strikes that the outfitcarried out in western Assam districts, mainly in Sonitpur,killing more than 20 people in November last year, after acadre was gunned down by security forces, a top policeofficial told PTI today.

Boro, the NDFB ''commander of the eastern region'', hisdeputy ''major'' Mathuram Brahma alias Mudoi, three other cadresand a local sympathizer were arrested near Byrnihat, about 90km from here, in Ri Bhoi district bordering Assam on Thursday.

Now in police custody for five days, Mudoi alsoadmitted his involvement in twin blasts at Assam''s BarpetaRoad where at least 11 people were killed in October, 2008when the banned outfit had carried out a series of blastskilling over 70 people in the neighbouring state.

A CBI official said Mudoi, along with 18 NDFBmilitants, has been charge-sheeted in the case, which is beingprobed into by the agency and they would seek his custody forfurther investigation.

The arrested rebels also admitted to have maintainedlinks with outfits like Hynniewtrep National LiberationCouncil (HNLC) and the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA).

"They have confirmed meetings with leaders of HNLCand GNLA and sharing of weapons and extorted money," thepolice official said.

"Boro had personally met the HNLC chief Bobby Marweinand general secretary Cherishterfield Thangkhiew in Bangladeshwhere it was agreed that the NDFB will provide arms andammunition to the HNLC while in return the Khasi outfit willshare half of all the money it collected through extortion andother means," the official said.

Boro was also responsible for kidnapping Maharashtraforest department officer Vilas Bardekar in Arunachal Pradeshlast year. The IFS officer was released after 78 days. Themilitant confessed to have taken Rs 1 crore for his release,investigating officials said.

Other arrested cadres are Nichiram Basumatary, NakulBoro and Dharmeswar Brahma. A local tribal, believed to anaccomplice in whose house these cadres were hiding, was alsopicked up.

The NDFB cadres had entered from Bangladesh on February7 through West Khasi Hills border. They had stayed for a dayat Byrnihat before entering Assam, officials added.