Five Bodo Militants Nabbed in Assam

Guwahati, Jan 25 (IANS) A joint team of Assam Police and the army Sunday arrested five Bodo militants from a forest area in Kokrajhar district, officials said.

The cadres of the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) were nabbed from the Ripu reserved forest, according to a statement issued by Guwahati-based defence spokesperson Lt. Col. Suneet Newton.

The arrested cadres include Daneshwar Basumatary alias B. Dapung alias Ustad, a senior leader of the outfit, the statement added.

Two pistols, three grenades and war-like stores were seized during the operation based on inputs provided by the military intelligence unit.

The army's Red Horns Division had Saturday apprehended NDFB cadre Durga Boro from the Manas forest area in Chirang district. Several incriminating documents pertaining to extortion activities, appointments and details of weapons and ammunition were seized from him.

The army also nabbed two NDFB linkmen and seized two grenades and eight detonators from them.

Security forces intensified operations against the NDFB after the outfit killed over 75 people in three districts of Assam Dec 23 last year.