GUWAHATI, Jan 4 – No important member of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) is active in Bangladesh any more as hardcore militant Drishti Rajkhowa also returned to India recently, highly placed security sources said.
Sources told The Assam Tribune that Drishti Rajkhowa recently entered India and he is reportedly in the Garo Hills areas of Meghalaya. The hardcore militant is now in touch with the pro-talk group members of the militant outfit and there are possibilities that he, along with his followers in the outfit will join the peace process.
After the recent arrest of dreaded militant Antu Chowdang and return of Drishti Rajkhowa, no important member of the ULFA is active in Bangladesh. ULFA does not have any camp in the neighbouring country at present and though the possibility of some lower level cadres hiding in the Sherpur area cannot be ruled out, they are not in a position to create any disturbance in India from such hiding places, sources added.
Security sources said that the Rapid Action Battalion of Bangladesh launched a number of operations in the Sherpur area in search of ULFA members, forcing the militants to flee to other places and several suspects were also picked up in recent times.
However, the ULFA camps in Myanmar are still active and at least 150 cadres are still staying in the camps including the headquarter of the 28 battalion of the outfit and Naga camp, which is run along with the NSCN(K). Sources said that the 28 battalion is still the strongest wing of the outfit but the pro-talk group leaders are now in touch with the hardcore members staying in Myanmar to persuade them to join the peace process.
Sources said that according to intelligence inputs, the lower level cadres of the outfit in Myanmar would come back once the peace process starts. Though the Government of Myanmar assured India that it would launch offensive against the militants camping in that country, no sustained operation has yet been launched and “it is also a fact that the Government of Myanmar has very little control over the Kachin area,” sources added.
