The Assam government has decided to allow the release of three jailed Ulfa leaders on bail in order to prepare a ground for the proposed peace-talks with outlawed Ulfa. Disclosing that the release of Ulfa’s deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah, cultural secretary Pranati Deka and political ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain (70) has
already been decided by the government, an authoritative security source told this newspaper that state government will not oppose their bail application likely to be moved in a day or two.
The release of these three Ulfa leaders in first phase would be followed with the release of other senior Ulfa leaders, including Ulfa chairman Arbinda Rajkhowa. Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, who looks in hurry to start the peace-talks with Ulfa rebels, has already announced that peace-talks with Ulfa would start in the next 60 days.
Informing that deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah will be allowed to get enlarge on bail, the security source said that he also played key role in facilitating the return for more than 28 Ulfa cadres from Bangladesh.
If sources in the Border Security Forces in Meghalaya’s Tura are to be believed, Ulfa’s publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary himself was present with a team of Assam police at the international border to receive the Ulfa leaders crossing over to India from Sherpur district of Bangladesh.
The Ulfa rebels and their family members are now lodged in two different camps set up by Ulfa’s 709-battalion commander Hira Sarania. Clarifying that these Ulfa leaders have not come for talks, rather, situation compelled them to leave Bangladesh, sources close to these Ulfa rebels told this newspaper that arrest of Ulfa leader Tinku Sonowal on September 12 by Rapid Action Battalion of Bangladesh and his torture in the custody created fear psychosis among the Ulfa leaders who started sending SOS to jailed Ulfa leaders to facilitate their escape from Bangladesh.
Security sources also confirmed that Rapid Action Battalion of Bangladesh had started targeting the families giving shelter to Ulfa rebels so they were left with no option but to escape. The security sources also confirmed that Ulfa leaders who escaped from Bangldesh have not been subjected to any kind of interrogation.
Though, security sources indicated that Ulfa leader Biju Deka was approaching Ulfa’s jailed deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah for past few months, expressing his willingness to join the peace-process.