The militant outfits are suspected to have been using women and anti-social elements to carry out extortion and kidnappings by outsourcing responsibility of picking up the target and serving the demand notes in Assam.
Disclosing that in past three months 31 cases of kidnapping was reported in the state, security sources told this newspaper that trend was alarming as in majority of the cases victims were released after paying the ransom to the outlawed organisations.
Admitting that extortion was rampant, security sources said that at least four among those kidnapped were killed in captivity this year alone.
Informing that security agencies are in process of preparing the chart of extortion cases in which victims were compelled to pay money to ultras, security sources said that there were 45 confirm cases of extortions in which victims paid huge amount of money to ultras in 2011. The trend was rising as outlawed Ulfa and NDFB hardliners have intensified the extortion drive all over the state including in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya too. Pointing out that Ulfa and NDFB rebels are taking the help of women and village girls to lure the target, security sources said that rescue of Dr M.C. Agarwalla has revealed that anti-social elements were also used by outlawed organisations to kidnap him from his clinic in Guwahati. Security forces rescued Dr Agarwalla before he was being handed over to some militant group near Bhutan border. Asserting that Ulfa and NDFB was using its women cadres to trap businessmen for kidnapping, security sources said that at least four-five such cases of women inviting the businessmen to some isolated locations before kidnapping has already come to light.