Incidents involving United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA)

2010

• August 29: The pro-talks group of ULFA directly named the NSCN-IM as the main culprit in the recent Charaipung episode in Sivasagar District, reports Telegraph. ULFA pro-talks leader Mrinal Hazarika said that the NSCN-IM has been systematically trying to grab territories under Assam and Arunachal Pradesh for inclusion in its 'Greater Nagalim'. Assam Tribune adds that the Assam Government has taken up with the Government of India the issue of involvement of militants belonging to the NSCN-IM in creating disturbance in Assam.

  The HNLC maintains an on-and-off relationship with the NSCN-IM, NDFB and NLFT, according to the ADGP (Meghalaya) who also said the outfit's nexus with ULFA is not yet ascertained. At present, the HNLC has around 50 active cadres, but each one of them does not have arms and ammunitions. "The figure might not be accurate as it is based on our assessment on sightings and technical intercepts," Jain said. The outfit has its camps at Maulvi Bazar, Sylhet and Chittagong Hill Tract of Bangladesh. Many of its leaders are into betel nut plantations and own stone quarries in the neighbouring country.

• August 28: Suspected ULFA cadre, Tarun Barua, was arrested by a team of the Army and Tinsukia Police from near Doomdooma on the same day, reports Telegraph. A pistol was also recovered from his possession.

• August 26: A team of pro-talk ULFA visited Charaipung of Sivasagar District. Mrinal Hazarika, leader of pro-talk ULFA criticized the State Government for its failure to protect the geographical boundary of the State. He asked the Government to handover the border area to them in case the Government can not secure the life and property of the citizens living in border areas.

• August 25: Reacting to the threats by NSCN-IM that it would evict Assamese people living in Tirap District of Arunachal Pradesh if the economic blockade launched by All Assam Students Union (AASU) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) activists in the wake of NSCN-IM attacks on the villagers of Charaipung area in Assam continues, the pro-talk faction of ULFA said it would begin an economic blockade against Changlang District by closing the Margherita-Changlang road at Margherita from 5am on August 25 for 72 hours.

  Two ULFA militants were killed in an encounter with the Security Forces in Naharkatiya in Tinsukia District. Two pistols were recovered from the bodies of the slain militants.

  The 72-hour road blockade on the Margherita-Changlang Road in Changlang District, which started at 6am on August 25 by the ceasefire group of ULFA, was lifted after a few hours following a discussion between representatives of the Tinsukia District administration and Margherita sub-divisional administratio. Jiten Dutta, one of the ceasefire group leaders, said they have temporarily withdrawn the road blockade, but it would be re-imposed if the situation turned violent again.

  Reacting to the warning of pro-talk ULFA group of taking action against Naga people in Assam if the NSCN-IM attacks the people of Assam in the trouble torn Assam- Arunachal Pradesh border, the NSCN-K appealed for the restraint.

  Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said that while the year 2009 was a distinct improvement on the year 2008, it is in the 2010 that we have seen a dramatic decline in the number of incidents and in the number of casualties in the Northeast, according to Assam Tribune. There have been only 464 incidents until August 15, as against 1,297 and 1,561 for the whole year in 2009 and 2008 respectively. He pointed out: "Only 52 civilians have been killed, as against 264 and 466 respectively, and we have lost only 15 men of the security forces. Nevertheless, I must admit with regret that Manipur and Assam have been affected by long-duration blockades and bandhs and by intermittent violence."

  The Union Minister said that it is a matter of great satisfaction that a number of groups are engaged in talks with the Government of India. Among them are National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), pro-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), Nunisa faction of the Dima Halim Daogah (DHD), Black Widow (BW), United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC), Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), Kuki National Organization (KNO) and United Peoples Front (UPF), he said. H further added, "We have appointed two Interlocutors: RS Pandey to talk to the NSCN (IM) and PC Haldar to talk to NDFB (PT), DHD (Nunisa), DHD (J), KLNLF, UPDS and ANVC, besides ULFA [United Liberation Front of Asom]."

  Chidambaram called on the groups - or factions of groups - that have stayed away from talks to give up violence and accept the offer of the Governments to hold talks. "It is my hope that ULFA will also formally come forward to begin talks with the Government of India and the Government of Assam. There is no denying that the success achieved in bringing so many groups to the negotiating table has contributed immensely to the decline of violence in the North-eastern States," he stated.

• August 24: ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua described the recent comments of Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan (SJA) spokesman Hiren Gohain on him (Paresh Barua) as harmful to the "national liberation struggle of the indigenous people of Assam." Gohain said at a public meeting at Nalbari District recently that Paresh Barua would not be allowed to become the sole authority of Assam. Sentinel adds that Paresh Barua said that he was not opposed to talks but was against any deviation from the outfit's ideology.

• August 23: A seven-member armed group of suspected ULFA militants abducted a small tea grower, Bhagwan Swami, from Duarmara Singpho village under Pengeri Police Station in Tinsukia District. They abducted Swami from his residence and took him towards the adjacent Tarani reserve forest on foot. The militants first tried to abduct Swami's son, Kulendra (22), who managed to escape.

• August 22: A rickshaw puller was killed in crossfire between Security Forces and ULFA militants in Sualkuchi in Kamrup District. Police said two militants had come on a motorcycle to extort money from a businessman at Sualkuchi. A Police team, which had prior information, had laid an ambush in the area. SFs arrested Harakrishna Deka alias Siraj, and recovered a grenade and several extortion notices from his possession, while the other escaped. "We also recovered a pistol following the interrogation of the arrested militant," the additional Superintendent of Police of Kamrup, H.K. Nath, said.

• August 18: The pro-talks group of the ULFA said the outfit’s jailed leaders have asked the group to "go slow" on its peace initiative and wait for the leaders to join them. "This was the reason we have stopped our activities to take forward the peace process," leader of the pro-talk group, Mrinal Hazarika, said on August 18. He, however, said that this "go slow" on the peace process would not mean that the pro-talks group would wait forever for the leadership to join them.

  A joint team of the Army and Police recovered two rocket launchers and three chargers from a namghar (place of worship) at Dekhibangha village under Baganpara Police outpost in Baksa District. They recovered the weapons from inside the namghar. The launchers and chargers, wrapped in polythene bags, were buried in the recovery site. "The police are suspecting Ulfa as the area is a stronghold of the outfit," said a Police officer in Baksa. Two suspected ULFA linkmen, Prahlad Barman (30) and Dimbeswar Barman (32), were arrested from the incident site.

• August 16: Two ULFA militants were shot dead by the Police during an encounter a kilometre way from the Office of the Goalpara Superintendent of Police. They were identified as self-styled ‘second lieutenant’ Francis Rabha leader of ‘109th battalion’ and Pathak Rabha. One 9-mm pistol and a hand grenade were recovered from their possession. They were suspected to have been involved in the July 30 ambush that killed six CRPF troopers.

• August 15: The Assam Government on August 15 asked the ULFA and NDFB militant groups to accept the offer for talks to end the insurgency problem afflicting the State. Addressing the Independence Day function at the Latasil playground here, caretaker Chief Minister Bhumidhar Barman said, "The government is sincere in its efforts and hopeful that ULFA and NDFB outfits respond positively to the offer and sit for negotiation and help in restoring peace in the state".

• August 14: A hardcore militant of '28^th battalion' of the ULFA, Ripu Sonowal, surrendered before the Army in Sivasagar District. He deposited a 9-mm pistol and ammunition.

• August 11: Sangai Express reports that the KLO, Manipur People's Liberation Front (MPLF), NDFB, National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), Tripura Peoples' Democratic Front (TPDF) and the ULFA called for a general shut down, and asked people in the Northeast region to boycott the Independence Day celebrations on August 15.

• August 10: Arunachal Pradesh asked the Union Government to fence the India-Myanmar border to check the movement of militants from India's Northeast who have set up base in the dense forests of the State. Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister, Tako Dabi, in Agartala said the ULFA, the NDFB, the NSCN-IM and NSCN-K have set up their base camps in the forests of Arunachal Pradesh.

• August 9: A ULFA cadre, Rajit Moran alias Kiron Boruah (26) of Hebeda gaon under Bordubi Police Station of Tinsukia District, was arrested by Jorhat Police from Dhodang Sapori area of the District. Jorhat Superintendent of Police Debojit Hazarika said the arrested ULFA cadre is from the '28^th battalion' of the outfit and was coming from a Myanmar-based training camp to allegedly carry on subversive activities in the District ahead of Independence day. Police recovered some explosives and objectionable documents from his possession, he added.

  Four suspected ULFA cadres, including a woman, were arrested by the Tingkhong Police from No 1 Dhamal Gaon under Tingkhong Police Station of Dibrugarh District. They were identified as Golapi Sonowal (30), her brother Apple Sonowal (22), Chandra Sonwal (26) and Dina Changmai (30). All the cadres are in Tingkhong Police custody. Meanwhile, Police and other security agencies have launched massive patrolling in and around Dibrugarh in order to bring entire District under security domain in order to prevent untoward incidents on the eve of the Independence Day (August 15).

  Hatigaon Police arrested an ULFA linkman, Upen Deka. Chandmari Police arrested another ULFA linkman identified as Dilip Kalita in the Guwahati city.

  Teok Police arrested one Mithon Doley of Dergaon under Golaghat District in connection with a case of extortion. Police said that Doley demanded INR 0.4 million from Ajit Bora, a physician of Teok FRU, on July 20 over telephone introducing himself as an ULFA cadre.

  Two ULFA linkmen, Bikash Baruah and Heramba Baruah, were arrested by the Police from Hapjan in Tinsukia District for allegedly demanding money from a businessman.

• August 8: Two ULFA cadres, Gopal Sarma alias Kancha Tamang and Pradip Sarma alias Sarat Gurung, managed to escape from the outfit's Myanmar camp recently and are currently taking shelter at the Moran-based designated camp of the ceasefire group. Peacenik Jiten Dutta said the duo, hailing from the Disangmukh area in Sivasagar District, was in touch with the ceasefire group for some time and had expressed their desire to join them.

  Security arrangements in and around the city of Guwahati has been strengthened in view of the Independence Day celebrations on August 15, reports Sentinel. The recent subversive activities by ULFA and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), particularly the blast at Goalpara and recovery of grenades at Guwahati Railway Station premises, have prompted the District administration to install regular checking posts outside the station. Sources also confirmed that the strength of CRPF and paramilitary forces in the city has been increased.

• August 7: SFs arrested two ULFA cadres, Bitupon Gogoi and Suresh Baruah, from Mohkhuti area under Demow Police Station in Sivasagar District. Two hand grenades were recovered from them.

  Two cadres of the pro-talks faction of the ULFA, Bhabesh Mahanta and Nibaron Bora, were arrested by the Police in connection with an attempted robbery case in the Arikuch area of Nalbari District.

• August 5: A bag containing 10 hand grenades was found at Guwahati railway station, raising fears of militant attacks in the run-up to Independence Day (August 15). A Government Railway Police (GRP) constable spotted the bag around 2.30 am. Senior officials and a bomb disposal squad rushed to the spot. On examination, the bomb experts said these were .36 high explosive grenades. It is suspected that the grenades were brought in by either ULFA or NDFB militants to carry out strikes in the city ahead of Independence Day.

• August 3: One major ULFA leader surrendered with arms along with his wife and lone minor daughter before the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Dhubri District. Rajesh Barman alias Sahadeva Roy (39), 'sergeant major' of the '709^th Battalion' of the ULFA, wife Puja Barman alias Babita Roy (35) and one year old daughter surrendered before Dhubri SP. Rajesh joined the militant group in 1994 and got trained in arms in Bhutan. The surrendered militant hails from No.2 Kanupara village under Kachugaon Police Station of Kokrajhar District. He surrendered with a Bulgarian made 9-mm Pistol and 12 rounds of live ammunitions - Police sources said.

• August 2: Assam Tribune reports that the leaders of the ULFA asked the cadres to target SFs and Central Government installations. However, the ULFA cadres were asked to avoid killing of civilians as far as possible, Police sources said. Sources said that in recent times, the '109^th battalion' of the ULFA has become active in lower Assam Districts, particularly in Goalpara District and the recent ambush of CRPF personnel, proved the intercepts to be correct. On the activities of the other battalions of the ULFA, sources revealed that recently Police and SFs foiled a bid by the '27^th battalion' of the outfit, headed by Nayan Medhi to target the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL). Sources, however, refused to divulge the details of the operation.

  The '28^th battalion' is concentrating more on launching extortion drive in recent times members of the unit have not launched any major offensive. After the surrender of a number of cadres, the leaders of the unit are apprehensive of sending cadres to Assam from their bases in Myanmar, sources added. The '709^th battalion' headed by Hira Sarania has not indulged in major act of violence in recent times and Police believes that Sarania is closer to the ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa and the possibility of his agreeing for talks in future cannot be ruled out.

  A 10-member group of the ULFA built tent on some chaporis (sandbars) along the Brahmaputra River close to Majuli Island to intensify its operations in the Upper Assam Districts, according to Telegraph. Sources in the State Intelligence Bureau said the group was taking shelter at a few chaporis near Lakhimpur District and coordinating a fund collection drive in Lakhimpur, Jorhat and Golaghat Districts. "The group, led by Biplab Barua of Sivasagar district, is using the river network and was shuttling between Sikoli Chapori and Charai Chapori till a few weeks back it is distributing extortion notes among businessmen in Lakhimpur, Golaghat and Jorhat districts," the source said.

  RDX weighing five kilogrammes was recovered from Majuli, the River Island. The recovery in the wake of some ULFA militants pitching tent in the area as reported in The Telegraph has triggered speculation among Security Forces over whether the outfit was using the island to stock arms and explosives to carry out strikes in the neighbouring Districts in the run-up to Independence Day. The sub-divisional Police Officer, Majuli, Amitabh Basumatary, said the consignment was buried in the courtyard of a villager at Morihuti under Jengraimukh Police Station, bordering Lakhimpur District. "The consignment was probably kept by Ulfa militant Rajib Bora who hails from Majuli. We suspect that more such consignments are being kept on the island," Basumatary said. The owner of the house, Umesh Saikia, is absconding.

  Two ULFA militants belonging to the '907^th battalion', identified as self-styled 'sergeant' Rajesh Barman and self-styled 'corporal' Puja Barman surrendered before Dhubri Superintendent of Police Dipak Choudhury.

  Jailed leaders of ULFA told Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan (SJA) spokesman Hiren Gohain during his visit to the Guwahati Jail that they were not in a position to make any public statement from inside the jail. Gohain said that he had been told by the jailed leaders of the outfit that scopes were there to misinterpret their public statements from inside the jail as something made under pressure. Meanwhile, Gohain said that on behalf of the SJA, Rohini Barua has already issued a statement to the effect that both the Government and ULFA need to observe restraint so that preparations for talks between the two sides are not affected.

• August 1: Confusion prevails over the identity of the outfit that triggered a blast in Goalpara on July 30. Suspicion has fallen on the ULFA and the anti-talks faction of the NDFB. A central intelligence source said Goalpara Police appeared to be confused as Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram had on July 30 condemned the attack without specifying any outfit. Director-General of police Shankar Barua has rushed to Goalpara and taken up the investigation to end the confusion before zeroing in on a militant group, the source said.According to him, ULFA and the anti-talks faction of the NDFB after being marginalised have been seeking each other's support to survive.

  The outfits have been on extortion drives jointly in lower Assam districts, particularly in Goalpara and Kamrup. Sources said at the instance of the 'commandant' of '109^th battalion' of ULFA, Drishti Rajkhowa, Gulit Das and Pradeep Basumatary of the battalion had been operating an extortion network in Goalpara since March 2010. Rajkhowa has been camping in Bangladesh and Das was acting as the de facto 'commandant' of the ULFA battalion, they said.

  A bomb expert of '709^th battalion' of the ULFA, Bolen Kalita, was arrested from a rented house at Bodo Basti in the Noonmati Police Station area. Kalita was arrested in a joint operation by SFs. A cellular phone and two subscriber identity module (SIM) cards were recovered from his possession.

• July 31: An ULFA linkman Taimur Ali, was arrested by the Army from Barkuriya area under Rangia Police Station on, reports Sentinel. The Army recovered 1.5 kilogramme explosive and 20 detonators from his possession.

• July 30: At least five CRPF troopers were killed and 33 others injured, when the ULFA triggered an IED blast by damaging a bus at Bhalukdubi under Goalpara District. Anu Buragohain, who introduced himself as the 'spokesperson' of ULFA, called up a local television channel claiming that the blast was carried out by the outfit. He said though ULFA had 'remained quiet' for some time, Security Forces continued to target its cadres and that is why it had retaliated. He warned of more such strikes. Intelligence sources, however, did not rule out the possibility of the anti-talks faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants executing the blast at the behest of ULFA. "The precision of the execution certainly points to such a possibility," a source said.

  Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said that the anti-talk factions of the ULFA and the NDFB might be responsible for July 30 bomb blast in Goalpara District in Assam where CRPF troopers were killed. He said that the personnel were targeted when they were returning from an Army training centre. Chidambaram said that a faction each of the ULFA and the NDFB had not joined the peace process. "These groups may be behind the blast today," he added.

  P. Chidambaram said factions of ULFA and NDFB were not ready for talks with the Centre, added Telegraph. He was speaking at the monthly presentation of his Ministry's report card on July 30. "Not all rebel groups have come to the table. One faction of the NDFB and another of Ulfa are against talks," Chidambaram told reporters. Terming this incident as "very sad", Chidambaram said it was still unclear who perpetrated the attack on the CRPF convoy.

  An ULFA militant was arrested by SFs from Barama in Baksa District and several extortion notes and documents were recovered from him.

  Security has been beefed up in lower Assam ahead of Independence Day following intelligence reports that NDFB and ULFA militants would carry out subversive activities, according to Shillong Times. The militants have brought in huge quantities of RDX and other explosives in the region, official sources said quoting the reports. The explosives were suspected to have been brought to Guwahati, Goalpara or South Kamrup and search operations have been intensified in these areas.

• July 28: A ULFA cadre, Columbus Marak (27), was arrested by the BSF from Hathimara in West Garo Hills District. He was arrested by West Garo Hills Police for carrying out criminal activities, including extortion, in Garo hills in February 2008, escaped from Tura Jail with three others the next month after beating up the warden. He is a cadre of the '109th battalion' of ULFA, had been at large since then and was on the wanted list of Meghalaya Police. According to the BSF, Colombus had undergone training in Bhutan in 2003 before he was sent to operate in Garo hills where he was engaged in large scale extortion.

  A ULFA linkman, Golzim A. Sangma (19) of Chibongre village in the West Garo Hills was arrested by the BSF at Mahendraganj border outpost in West Garo Hills District.

• July 27: A security alert had been sounded across the State in view of the "Swahid Divas" (Martyrs' Day) of the ULFA and the Independence Day on August 15, reports Sentinel. According to sources, the State Police Department is not taking any chances and has asked all Police Stations to remain prepared to tackle any eventuality that may arise out of the ULFA's bid to carry out subversive activities to mark the "Swahid Divas" on July 27.

• July 26: Pro-talks ULFA 'chairman' Mrinal Hazarika has sought legal action against the All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU) leaders involved in the Barpeta incident and said that the Bangladeshi issue has assumed serious proportions in Assam only because of the Jamiat. Reacting to statement issued to a section of the media by leaders of the AAMSU, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and Jamiat that the ULFA leaders should be called Bangladeshis as they had stayed in Bangladesh for long, Hazarika said, "When war breaks out between two parties, one of them being a government, the party opposed to the government normally seeks the help of neighbouring countries. ULFA leaders did take refuse in Bangladesh but many of the ULFA men were active in Assam itself."

• July 25: Five ULFA linkmen, identified as Kapil Rabha, Jalal Ahmed, Banomali Das, Arup Das and Ananta Rabha were arrested by the Army on National Highway 37 at Tiplai on while they were travelling to Rongjuli from Dhupdhara in Goalpara in a Tata Sumo. The Army recovered four pistols, extortion pads and receipt books from their possession.

• July 24: Three ULFA cadres, Tapan Barman, Debojit Ray and Mahant Singh, were arrested by the Police from Bijni in Chirang District.

• July 23: Peace interlocutor P.C. Haldar met the jailed members of the central executive members of the ULFA at the Guwahati Central Jail. Haldar discussed various issues with the jailed ULFA leaders for almost an hour. Exact content of the discussion were not made public. Haldar also had a meeting with the members of the Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan (SJA) where six members of the SJA participated.

  The ULFA appealed to its jailed leaders not to give up the demand for sovereignty. In a release, the ULFA said that there is no alternative to sovereignty of Assam and if the outfit gives up the demand, it would mean bowing down before the enemy, according to Assam Tribune. The release was signed by self-styled 'Lieutenant' of the ULFA, Anu Buragohain, who is a member of the central publicity wing of the outfit.

• July 22: President of the pro-talks faction of the ULFA, Mrinal Hazarika, said that Barpeta violence was a pre-planned act by certain sections to stop updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) of 1951.

• July 21: Former Director of Intelligence Bureau (IB), P.C. Haldar, who was appointed an interlocutor for talks with the ULFA, arrived at Guwahati on a three-day visit aimed at preparing the ground for negotiations with the outfit. During his stay here, Haldar will do the spadework for an ULFA-Delhi dialogue by holding consultations with stakeholders, including ULFA leaders, civil society groups, intelligentsia and senior Government officials.

• July 20: A ULFA militant, Biplob Baruah alias Tinku Phukon (25), was shot dead by Security Forces (SFs) in an encounter at Jokai Ghitiapathar, Borbeel village in Dibrugarh District. He is the first cadre to be killed by the SFs after he rejoined the outfit after fleeing from the Kakopathar designated camp. Dibrugarh Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP, Headquarters) Debasish Sarma said the Police had received clues about the presence of the ULFA militant from another cadre of the outfit who was arrested from Namrup on July 19. "We have recovered a universal machine gun, a drum magazine, 15 rounds of live ammunition, a satellite phone disc, some cell-phone recharge vouchers, 20 batteries, a heavy battery, probably used in a motorcycle, five electronic detonators and the like from the encounter site," the additional SP said. Five cadres had fled from the Kakopathar camp in the past two years after the Alpha and Charlie companies of '28^th Battalion' of ULFA declared unilateral cease-fire.

• July 18: Bangladesh authorities have registered four cases against ULFA militant Ranjan Chowdhury and his associate whose arrest was announced. A court in Kishoreganj in northeastern region remanded the two to three-days custody of the paramilitary Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). The cases have been registered against Chowdhury under arms, explosive substances and anti-terror laws.

• July 17: The personnel of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested two ULFA militants from Bhairab in north Kishorganj area of Dhaka. The duo, Ranjan Chowdhury (45) and Pradip Marak (55), were taken into custody from the Lakkhipur area of Bhairab, RAB spokesperson lieutenant commander Mohammad Sohail said. A sophisticated pistol, a revolver and four small bombs were recovered from the duo, he said. The duo was arrested while they were waiting to board a bus to Sherpur District, he added. Chowdhury told RAB officials that he hailed from Madhusolmari at Gauripur of Dhubri District in Assam. He had joined ULFA in 1988 and undergone three months of training. "He then went to Bhutan to meet ULFA's top commander (military wing) Paresh Barua in June 1995 and was arrested by Indian security forces on his return a month later," Sohail said. Chowdhury was detained in a Guwahati jail for a year and released in 1996.

• July 14: An encounter between three ULFA cadres and Police was reported from Deodhaigaon Bezapathar under Khowang Police Station in Dibrugarh District. However, all the three militants managed to escape from the encounter site. An ULFA linkman was subsequently arrested by a joint team of the Police and Army from the village. "We have picked up an ULFA linkman and recovered an Apache motorcycle from the encounter site. Our operations are on to track down the fleeing militants," Dibrugarh Superintendent of Police Arabinda Kalita Kalita said over phone.

  Intelligence agencies had earlier received reports that a 15-member ULFA group had entered Dibrugarh District from Myanmar through Tirap District of Arunachal Pradesh. They said the group has hardcore cadres like Samudra Nirmaliya and Gojen Konwar. However, the 15 to 20-member group was not moving together. "They have split into groups of two or three and are working in areas like Joypur, Tingkhong, Namrup, Naharkatia, Duliajan and Moran. They have also served extortion notes to some businessmen," a Police official said. "Ulfa is desperately trying to make its presence felt in Upper Assam by making efforts to rebuild its network in the villages," the official added. The Police also believe that the hardliners within ULFA were encouraged by the fact that the direct talks between the Centre and the outfit were not making much headway.

• July 13: Nagaland Page reports that four militant groups of Manipur, ULFA and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland- Khaplang (NSCN-K) have jointly decided to put up a joint front against the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) in Manipur, following a senior level meeting held in Bangladesh recently. According to sources, United National Liberation Front (UNLF), People's Liberation Army (PLA), ULFA, Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), PREPAK and NSCN-K discussed the prevailing situation in Manipur and Nagaland and expressed their satisfaction in putting up a joint front against NSCN-IM in Manipur. UNLF 'chairman', R.K. Meghan reiterated the aim to achieve independence of Manipur and integration of Kabaw valley of Myanmar. He expressed his desire of having good relationship with the NSCN-K, PLA and ULFA. Meghan also pressed upon having strong bondage with Paresh Baruah, 'commander-in-chief' of ULFA in restoring glory of Ahoms and Meitei confederacy.

  ULFA linkman, Koushik Choudhuri (27), was arrested in a joint operation by the Police and the army from Kamargaon village in Barpeta District. Police recovered one writing pad of ULFA from his possession.

• July 12: Assam Environment and Forest Minister Rokybul Hussain informed the State Legislative Assembly that militants killed 1,549 civilians and 205 Security Forces (SFs) between 2001 and June 2010. In the armed encounters between the SFs and the ULFA, NDFB, KLNLF etc, 1,703 militants were killed during this period. 144 innocent persons were killed when SFs opened fire to bring law and order situation under control during the period.

  The Minister said that in the incidents of encounter between the SFs and the militants, 26 civilians were killed during the period. During this period, 2,043 ULFA cadres, 899 NDFB cadres and 102 KLNLF cadres surrendered before the Government and 10,242 members of various militant outfits were arrested. He also told the House that so far six ULFA leaders and 53 cadres of the outfit are in jail and between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2010 two of its leaders and 164 cadres were released on bail. The Government is interested in holding talks with ULFA, he said.

  Further, he said the House that six militant outfits are active in the State at present. These organisations include-ULFA, NDFB, All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA), Hmar People's Convention- Democracy (HPC-D), Muslim United Liberation Tiger of Assam (MULTA) and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM). According to him seven new outfits are active - Liberation Democratic Council of Mising Land (LDCM), United Tribal Liberation Front (UTLF), United Tribal Revolutionary Army (UTRA), Dimasa National Liberation Front (DNLF), Gorkha Liberation Army (GLA), Hills Tiger Force (HTF) and Santhal Tiger Force (STF) have come to light, said the Minister.

• July 11: The Union Government decided to hold talks with jailed leaders of militant outfits in "special jails", thus ruling out the possibility of releasing them for starting a dialogue, reports Telegraph. Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said there was no impediment to holding talks even if the leaders were in jail since the exercise could be conducted at venues which may be designated as special jails where they may be shifted for the purpose.

  However, the process of shifting the leaders to a special jail would involve the judiciary, which has to give permission to move out anyone in judicial custody. The step would meet halfway the demand from various quarters and the jailed leaders themselves for their release for talks. Holding the leaders in these special jails would mean they are not in prisons and yet they would remain in custody. Pillai said the same formula would apply to ULFA leaders as well. Further, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on July 11 said the peace process was on and there was no "stalemate", as apprehended by the steering committee, and asked elusive ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua to come forward for negotiation.

  Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that peace process with the ULFA was "on the right track". "There is no stalemate and the peace process is definitely on the right track," he said. Gogoi said that efforts were on to rope in more ULFA leaders who were outside India.

• July 9: Assam Tribune reports that official sources said that the Government of India is likely to wait for the ULFA leaders to make the first move for talks. A delegation of the Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan (SJA) recently met the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister with the request to start the talk's process. Sources said that the stand of the Government of India on the issue of talks with any militant group is very clear. To start the process of talks, the militant groups must abjure violence and all talks must be held within the framework of the Constitution of India.

  The ULFA leaders have not so far announced their willingness to come for talks within the framework of the Constitution of India and the Centre would start the process only after receiving a formal communication from the top leaders of the outfit, sources added. Sources further clarified that as the top leaders of the ULFA including the 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa were under judicial custody, the Government cannot release them. However, they can obtain bail from the court if the State Government does not oppose their bail plea and so far no such decision has been taken, sources added.

  Sentinel reports of extortion in Digboi and Tinsukia were received following the extortion threat to Oil Company Canoro operating in Sonari area,. Canoro has sought Union Government’s help after it received an extortion note demanding INR five million. ‘Sergeant Major’ of ‘28th Battalion’ of ULFA Pradip Baruah alias Rajib Das along with an 11-member group is allegedly operating in Lakhimpur and other Upper Assam Districts. A couple of weeks ago, one Mintu Saikia alias Madhav Das, a SULFA cadre of Merapani was arrested along with three others for collecting huge sums of money from tea gardens and other companies and individuals in the name of ULFA’s Rupantar Kakati and Bijoy Chinese.

  The ULFA has condemned July 8 bomb blast on the rail track at Gossaigaon Balubil and also termed it as an "inhuman" act. In the statement, signed by its ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua, the outfit also mourned the death of minor boy in the incident. "Such incidents can never bring about liberty for the people of the country, rather, such incidents are attacks on the indigenous peoples," Barua said. To save the country and people from the conspiracies of the enemies, Paresh Barua had made an appeal to those who triggered the blast not to target the indigenous peoples of Assam.

  All Police Stations in upper Assam were asked to beef up security and to remain alert following Intelligence reports indicating alleged entry of ULFA cadres of the ‘28th Battalion’ in Majuli a few weeks ago and fanning out from there. Intelligence sources hinted that a few more ULFA cadres had entered Majuli on July 7 and sources have reported that high Police officials are doing the rounds of interior areas in this connection for the last few days.

• July 8: A cadre of '709 battalion' ULFA, Bijoy Deka was arrested by Police from Beltola area in Guwahati, on charges of extortion,

• July 7: A national TV channel and Intelligence sources on July 5 reported that ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah was provided safe home in Pakistan by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Earlier it was reported that he was shifted to Kachin province of Myanmar following Bangladesh crackdown on Northeast insurgents. Sources said, Barua was escorted by the ISI from his hideout in Chittagong Hills Tract and brought to an undisclosed location of Pakistan.

  A section of anti-Awami League (AL) elements in the SFs helped ISI to ferry out the ULFA commander. He is also believed to be in touch with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) to launch ‘sleeper cells’ in the State.

• July 5: Atul Bordoloi of Pulibor area under Pulibor Police Station of Jorhat District was arrested on charges of an extortion case by Jorhat Police. Police sources said the arrested person is involved with extortion from various persons of the District with the help of ULFA.

  The steering committee of the Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan (SJA) has asked the Government to issue a clear and unequivocal statement forthwith on objectives and modalities of the proposed talks between it and the ULFA, and to allay the fears of the general public on the issue. Spokesman of the SJA Hiren Gohain said in a statement that the committee would like to place on record its deep dismay at the way Government circles have proceeded in the matter of resumption of the stalled talks with ULFA.

• July 4: A ULFA cadre, identified as Montu Dehingia alias Aman Mohan and another youth, secretary of the regional unit of Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), were arrested at Dholla in Tinsukia District. A pistol along with five live rounds and four ULFA extortion letters were recovered from the possession of the duo. The Army and Police are currently conducting operations based on the information provided by the two. There were reports of ULFA cadres serving extortion notes to officials of tea gardens along the Assam-Arunachal border, the most recent being from Pengeri.

• July 2: Tinsukia Superintendent of Police Diganta Bora told that the two ULFA cadres, Amjad Chetia and Akon Moran, had teamed up with a heavily armed ULFA group after roaming around with the AK-series rifles and other arms and ammunition they had fled with for some time. The Police had later confiscated all the arms at the designated camp. Both had fled the designated camp of the pro-talks faction of the ULFA at Kakopathar in Tinsukia District in early 2009 have become the latest challenge for SFs in the District and along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary.

  ULFA has suddenly become active in Tinsukia District, the latest being targeting the tea industry for money, sources in SFs and intelligence agencies said. Through these operations, the anti-talks group is trying to make its presence felt, they added. The meeting of the Unified Command drew up an elaborate strategy with some re-adjustments and redeployment of, SFs a Police official said. The SFs identified certain zones like the Tarani-Sikorajan-Kenduguri-Mohong-New Mohong-Maithong-Betoni as the focal points for their operations as intelligence agencies have reported frequent movement of the ULFA group in these areas.

• July 1: The Government indicated that it will not release the jailed ULFA leadership to facilitate the peace process. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, "How can we release them (ULFA leaders)? It depends on the judiciary to decide whether or not to release them." He was reacting to the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram's statement in New Delhi on June 30 that there was no immediate plan to release the jailed leaders.

  Suspected ULFA militants assaulted the manager of a tea garden and an employee before setting ablaze two mini trucks and a motorcycle in the estate at Bijulibon under Pengeri Police Station in Tinsukia District. The armed group of seven cadres, believed to be ULFA cadres, assault Sadhan Kumar Tamuli, the manager of Luit tea estate, and an employee, Bhaskar Jyoti Changmai Phukon, while the duo were on their way to the garden.

• June 30: The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said in New Delhi that the detained ULFA leaders could talk with the Government from the prison, reports Assam Tribune. Further, Chidambaram maintained that the ULFA leaders were in judicial custody and utive cannot release anybody who is in judicial custody. His response was same as the reply he gave to a Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan (SJA) delegation last week. Virtually ruling out the possibility of releasing the ULFA leaders, the Union Home Minister had cited serious legal charges pending against them.

• June 28: The families of those reportedly killed in blasts and other violent activity of the ULFA have demanded punishment to the cadres of the outfit as per the Constitution of India involved in the killings. They also opposed any move to release the jailed ULFA leaders in the name of peace talks.

• June 27: Two ULFA cadres, Romen Bhuyan and Puspa Doley, surrendered in Lakhimpur. They deposited an M-22 rifle, 16 detonators, AK-47 ammunition and letter pads.

• June 26: chief convenor of the steering committee of the Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan (SJA) Hiren Gohain on June 26 said that they had very little to say on the reaction of ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua to their effort to resolve the vexed ULFA insurgency issue. However, he described the reaction of Paresh Barua to their effort as 'entirely negative.'

• June 25: In a setback to the efforts of a civil society group in reviving talks with the ULFA, the outfit on said the body of senior citizens and intellectuals do not represent the common people. In an e-mail to the media, ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah rejected the recent move of Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan (SJA) to move the Union Government to hasten the talks process. "It is the view of ULFA and we have nothing to say," Gohain said on arrival from New Delhi in reply. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had on June 24 said peace talks with ULFA would take place even if Baruah stays away.

  A ULFA area 'commander' was shot dead by SFs at Udalguri.

  The Police arrested eight militants, including four ULFA cadres, from various parts of the Guwahati city. The ULFA cadres had been identified as Tapan Deka, Naba Kumar Das and Bidyut Kalita. Another cadre, identified as Manas Roy, was arrested from Chandmari area. The Police also recovered explosives weighing 700 grammes, a laptop, a pen drive, 15 subscriber identity module (SIM) cards and five cell phones after it raided a house in Noonmati area. The other four arrested militants include two cadres of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and as many cadres of Liberation of Achik Elite Force (LAEF), a newly-formed outfit of Garo Hills in Meghalaya.

• June 24: Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister B.K. Handique said the peace initiatives with the ULFA is in right direction, but demand of NSCN-IM for Greater Nagaland can not be met. He said, "It does not matter if the ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah attends the peace meet or not since the interest of Assam has to be topmost in everybody's mind not any leader's wishes." Assam Tribune added that he hinted at the possibility of considering the rebels' demand for grant of amnesty during talks.

  The ceasefire group of ULFA reiterated its demand before the Union and the State Governments to expedite the peace process with the outfit, during a celebration at the Kakopathar designated camp to mark the completion of the second year of the unilateral ceasefire.

• June 23: The Union Government said it wanted ULFA leaders to come for a dialogue with "dignity" but left the issue of the release of those in jail to the judiciary and the Assam Government. The release of the leaders was discussed between prominent Assamese citizens, led by Hiren Gohain, and Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram. Gohain later said, "Chidambaram said those who come for talks will be allowed to come with dignity and not as criminals with charges."

  Pro-talks leader and former commanding officer of the outfit's '28^th battalion' of the ULFA, Mrinal Hazarika, said, "There is no question of frustration. It is totally immaterial as to who did what. We have maintained right from the first day when we declared unilateral ceasefire that we will be happy to even sacrifice our lives if Assam can have permanent peace. That statement still stays. The basic thing is that we all want peace, that's all."

  One ULFA cadre, Ajay Deka alias Pallav Baruah, was arrested by the troops from village Balipota under Kalaigaon Police Station in Darrang District. The cadre is an active member of the 'publicity wing' of '27^th battalion' of the ULFA and was reportedly operating in Sonitpur District.

• June 21: In its meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi slated for to explore the possibility of opening peace talks with the ULFA, the six-member steering committee of the Sanmilita Jatiya Abhivartan (SJA) led by Hiren Gohain would raise the issue of release of the jailed ULFA leaders so as to enable the outfit to take a decision of peace talks with the Government, sources said. The sources also said that the SJA team might also appeal to the Prime Minister to put on hold all cases against the jailed ULFA leaders till the peace talks were over, but there were no likelihood of the delegation raising the demand for talks on 'sovereignty' as a member of the delegation had told newsmen in Guwahati before leaving for New Delhi that he personally did not support talks on sovereignty.

• June 18: Sentinel reports that a group of ten ULFA cadres has entered the Guwahati city to carry out extortion and subversive activities as per directions from commandant of '709 battalion' Hira Sarania. "Sarania has directed the ULFA team to carry out extortion and subversive activities in Guwahati city." The presence of the outfit had been confirmed by ULFA's 709 battalion cadre Binoy Baishya who was arrested on June 17. Based on the confessional statement made by Binoy, the Police are hunting for other ULFA activists holed up in the city. Police sources said Binoy was one of the accused in the abduction and murder of Food Corporation of India (FCI) officer P.C. Ram.

• June 17: A senior ULFA cadre, Darika Saikia, was killed by SFs during an encounter at Gondhia Gharmora village in Lakhimpur District. However, three others managed to escape from the incident site.

  A cadre belonging to '709^th battalion' of the ULFA, identified as Binoy Baishya, was arrested by the Police from Panjabari in Guwahati city. Five rounds of ammunition were recovered from his possession.

  Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the ULFA outfit was heading for a split and sharp cracks have surfaced. He said that half of the central committee members were in jail and the rest are outside Assam. "Yes, there is a division within the outfit," he observed. "Paresh Barua is not keen for talks. But even then we are trying, though we are prepared to go ahead even without him," he said, adding that Government was prepared to grant him safe passage, in case he turns up for talks. He admitted that it was not numbers, but the ULFA military chief's firepower and the potential to create trouble that is bothering the Government.

  The Chief Minister also ruled out the possibility of declaring a unilateral cease-fire, asserting that the Government had information that Paresh Barua's group was still trying to foment problem in the State. He further disclosed that Barua was not opposed to dialogue but he wants to discuss about 'sovereignty', which Government does not want to discuss. "Sovereignty is non-negotiable and we have made it clear," he said.

  A group of ULFA militants attacked the Bajrangpur tea estate and attempted to kill manager Indra Kumar Baruah in Tinsukia District. Intelligence sources said that the attack by ULFA militants showed that the outfit was in the process of recovering lost ground in the Tinsukia District. The attack was said to be the fallout of the garden authorities' refusal to pay INR one million demanded by the outfit in January, 2010. According to intelligence inputs, some groups of ULFA cadres have either entered the District with arms and explosives or are taking shelter in the inter-state border areas of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The sources also said Arindam Saharia alias Bijoy Kalita - who was arrested in Siliguri of West Bengal, along with former commanding officer of the outfit's '28 battalion' Mrinal Hazarika and later granted bail rejoined the outfit and had been leading the cadres to re-establish bases in Upper Assam, particularly in Tinsukia District.

  Manik Chandra Baishya, senior engineer of the technical branch of the State Agriculture Directorate, Khanapara of Guwahati city, was abducted and killed for money. The Police subsequently arrested three persons, including the driver of Baishya, on the charge of committing the crime. The arrested include Baishya's driver Ganesh Bharali, Ramendra Bharali and Dinesh Das. The Police confirmed that the ULFA had demanded money from Manik Chandra Baishya, senior engineer of the technical branch of the State Agriculture Directorate, Khanapara of Guwahati city, but said that only investigation would reveal if the outfit was involved in the killing of the engineer.

• June 16: The former Director of Intelligence Bureau, P.C. Haldar, would be appointed as the interlocutor for the negotiation with the ULFA. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi suggested his name to Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram. The Union Home Minister has given the "go ahead" and assured of all possible assistance to the State Government to start the peace process, said Gogoi. The Chief Minister said, "He has given us the go ahead."

• June 14: The body of former ULFA leaders, All Assam Prakton ULFA Samannayarakshi Sommittee, on June 14 said that talks between the Government and the outfit should be held without any precondition set by either side. The association also said that the rights of the indigenous people should figure in the peace talks failing which the former ULFA cadres would resort to andolan (movement) once again.

  Assam Tribune added that the association further warned that if the State Government fails to meet their demands on rehabilitation packages and withdrawal of the TADA cases within a month's time, they will go for a State wide 'militant democratic' agitation. The former ULFA members, who have returned to the mainstream either by surrendering or without surrendering before the authorities, number around 14,000.

• June 13: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the ULFA had formally expressed its willingness to open peace talks with the Government to end more than three decades of violent insurgency in the State, reports Assam Tribune. "We have got a formal communication from the ULFA regarding holding peace talks," the Chief Minister said. He also said, "We also appeal to Paresh Baruah to come and join the peace process. Efforts are also on with other military commanders of the ULFA to get them into the negotiating process."

• June 12: A ULFA cadre, Kishore Das alias Puali, was arrested by the Police from Amingaon area under Jhalukbari Police Station in Guwahati city. According to Police sources, Puali came to Guwahati following a directive from 'commander' Heera Sarania of '709^th battalion' of the ULFA.

  A senior cadre Dimbeswar Roy of the '109^th battalion' of the ULFA, surrendered before Kokrajhar Police. The Police said the ULFA cadre, who joined the outfit in 1998. He deposited one grenade and confessed that he had been involved in extortion drives in the lower Assam Districts. He is from Borpathar under Bijni Police Station in Chirang District.

• June 10: A ULFA linkman, Firoz Rahman of Bhatipara in Goalpara town, was arrested by the SFs from Paikan in Goalpara District.

• June 9: Assam Tribune quoting sources revealed that the 'council headquarters' of the ULFA in Myanmar is headed by senior leader Jiban Moran, while, another camp is headed by Prakash Baruah, while, the headquarter of the '28^th battalion' located near the NSCN-K camp is headed by Bijoy Das alias Bijoy Chinese, reports Assam Tribune. The total strength of the ULFA cadres in Myanmar would be around 100 or so. A number of hardcore militants belonging to the ULFA have sent feelers to the Police and Security Forces to express their desire to come over ground following the arrests of the top leaders of the outfit.

• June 7: The ULFA is unlikely to formally express its willingness to sit for the proposed peace talks with the Government until Bangladesh hands over its 'general secretary' Anup Chetia, despite the apparent desire of its leaders in Assam to start the process at the earliest. A section associated with the process said, ULFA leaders were convinced that inclusion of Chetia in the process would not only be a big boost to the fledgling initiative but would also send the right signal to its cadres and masses about "unity" in its rank and file. ULFA 'publicity secretary' Mithinga Daimary said at Nalbari that Dispur's insistence on a formal letter to start the process has become a dilemma for the outfit, which it would like to sort out in accordance with its constitution.

  Sentinel reports that the report submitted to the Union Government by the IB stated that the ULFA is no longer a force to reckon with. In its report on peace talks with the ULFA and the law-and-order situation in Assam, the IB official said, the IB clearly mentioned that unlike the NSCN-IM in Nagaland, the ULFA was not the "sole representative" of the people of Assam, and hence the Centre directly holding peace talks with ULFA would be simply giving the outfit more importance that it deserved.

• June 6: Sentinel reports that 13 militant organizations from the Northeast States of Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya figure in the list of banned organizations as it appears in the website of the Union Home Ministry (MHA). The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) heads the list. The other outfits were: National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), People's Liberation Army (PLA), United National Liberation Front (UNLF), People's Revolutionary party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), Kanglei Yaol Kanna Lup (KYKL), Manipur People's Liberation Front (MPLF), Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC).

  Dutta also referred to specific inputs that KLO 'chief' Jiban Sing was presently roaming in the border areas of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Dhubri Districts of lower Assam keeping nexus with ULFA cadres to strengthen militant activities. He also did not rule out the movement of CPI-Maoist cadres in the bordering area, but said that strong vigil was being maintained.

• June 5: Bangladesh Police arrested a ULFA leader, Ranju Chowdhury alias Rattan Sarkar, from Mymensingh District months after the chief of the separatist outfit Arbinda Rajkhowa was handed over to Indian authorities.

  Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said that a number of top commanders and leaders of the ULFA based in Bangladesh and Myanmar are expected to surrender shortly and join the peace process. Pillai was in Meghalaya on a three-day visit to review the security situation that concluded. "There are legal problems in extraditing Anup Chetia as he had moved a petition seeking political asylum," the Home Secretary said.

  G.K. Pillai said that there was evidence of CPI-Maoists establishing links with insurgents in the Northeastern region. Thuingaleng Muivah, leader of the NSCN-IM, admitted that the CPI -Maoists had approached him. Intelligence sources said that the Naga separatist group helped the CPI-Maoists in arms-smuggling through Myanmar and Bangladesh. The CPI-Maoists also established links with the banned ULFA and the Manipur-based PLA.

• May 31: Sentinel reports that SFs neutralised an isolated ULFA hideout in a Char (riverine) area at Bangalpota near Rangamati under Mangaldai Police Station in Darrang District on an unspecified date. ULFA cadre Deepak Kalita alias Pradeep alias Bhaiti and linkman Indra Nath were arrested in the operation from Char area. They were involved in various subversive activities including extortions sponsored by '27^th battalion' of the ULFA. One revolver with six rounds, two magazines of AK-47 with 30 live rounds, two cellular phones and Aircel recharge vouchers worth INR 884 and some ULFA related documents were recovered from the hideout.

  May 31: The central committee leaders of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), including 'vice-president' Pradip Gogoi and 'publicity secretary' Mithinga Daimary, met in the central jail on the issue of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's statement on May 30 that the outfit should send a formal proposal for peace talks to the Government, reports Sentinel. Pradip Gogoi said, "This proposal should come from the government formally. Any decision on this issue will be taken by the organization, but prior to that, we want all the jailed ULFA leaders should be freed."

• May 30: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi asked the ULFA to formally apprise the State Government of its decision on peace talks to end three decades of insurgency in the region, according to Sentinel. He said that the rebel group should tell the Government what they want and the Government would discuss their proposals in detail, and do whatever was possible to get the talk process going.

• May 28: ULFA said that it had never agreed to start a dialogue without Paresh Barua, reports Telegraph. Its 'publicity secretary' Mithinga Daimary, in a signed ULFA press note issued, welcomed the decision, but clarified the outfit's position vis-ŕ-vis Barua. He said, "At this moment, it is the first and foremost responsibility of the government to create the right atmosphere for the Ulfa leadership to take a decision on the proposed political dialogue. Since no formal decision has been taken by us, the question of leaving out Paresh Barua does not arise. We have never said talks will be held without him nor did the 'national convention' held in Guwahati take any such decision. We, therefore, request the people of the state not to be misled by such reports," Daimary clarified.

• May 27: With the Assam Government deciding in principle to initiate talks with the ULFA, the outfit responded by saying that any decision on its participation would be taken by its 'general council'. ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa said that he could not comment till the 'general council' decided on the issue.

  Assam Government stated that the role of the Union Government's interlocutor P.C. Haldar will "remain intact" despite Union Government handing over the mandate to carry forward the political process with insurgent outfits to the State Government.

• May 26: The Assam State Cabinet decided to start the process of talks with the ULFA without Paresh Baruah, the 'commander-in-chief' of the outfit, who is still maintaining a rigid stand on the issue of talks. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the Government waited for Paresh Baruah for a long time and there was no reason to wait for him for an indefinite period. He said that the Government received indication that majority of the leaders of the ULFA are in favour of talks and the Government has decided to go ahead and start the process without waiting for Paresh Baruah. However, at the same time, he said that the State Government would intimate the Centre about the Cabinet decision and wait for the response from the ULFA before taking the next step.

• May 25: Self-styled 'lance corporal' of '28^th battalion' of the ULFA, Panjal Baruah alias Jayanta Sonowal, surrendered before SFs in Tinsukia District.

  Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in Guwahati said that there had been a dramatic improvement in the State's security scenario. He said that a number of leaders of the major insurgent groups like ULFA, NDFB and the BW had been arrested. He also informed that while the Chief Minister has been asked to carry forward the political process for negotiation with the militant outfits the Security Forces have been instructed 'to continue implementing the policy that is in force.'

  Union Home Minister said that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi would take decisions on peace talks with the ULFA - when, with whom and how- and that the Union Government would extend all help towards that end. Toughening New Delhi's stand on countering-insurgency operations in Assam, he said that security offensive would continue in full steam till the militant outfits lay down arms and surrender.

• May 24: Assam Tribune reports that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in Dispur said, "The law-and-order situation has improved and groups like ULFA and NDFB, besides others have realised the futility of violence, which is a good sign." while renewing his appeal to ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah to come for peace talks.

• May 23: A large quantity of explosives, suspected to be belonging to ULFA, was recovered by the SFs from Joypur reserve forest of Dibrugarh District. The team recovered plastic explosives, Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), electric wires, accessories and IED along with a rubber stamp of the ULFA.

• May 21: A ULFA linkman, Raju Sarkar (45), was arrested by the SFs from Salbari in Kokrajhar District. A pistol, four rounds of ammunition and several extortion notes were recovered from his possession.

  Assam Tribune reports that security sources said that the ULFA has started a massive drive to extort money to boost its coffers and a number of persons including businessmen received extortion notes. Most of the extortion notes were sent by post and not delivered by anyone personally as was the case earlier. According to information available with the security agencies, some of the persons, who received such extortion notes, also received phone calls from persons identifying themselves as leaders of the militant outfit and apparently on most occasions, the militant outfit is ready to negotiate the amount demanded. However, no one is very sure whether anyone was paying up and if someone really paid, where the exchange of money took place.

  A few such extortion notes received by businessmen in Guwahati are in possession of and the letters were signed by self styled 'captain' Apurba Baruah, who is now in charge of the central finance unit of the ULFA after the arrest of Finance Secretary Chitraban Hazarika. Sources further said that the ULFA is now controlling the extortion drive through its Central Council Headquarter (CCHQ), which is still operating from Bangladesh and most of the instructions to the cadres are routed through the CCHQ.

• May 20: Ttwo ULFA cadres, identified as Rahul Gogoi and Nabjeet Vaishya, were arrested by the BSF troops from Jorhat. A 9-mm pistol was recovered from their possession besides other items.

  Dismissing reports on the arrest of ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua in Bangladesh, Union Home Secretary G K Pillai said the Government has no information about it. "There is no information regarding Barua's arrest." Pillai said. Senior intelligence and Police officials also dismissed the reports as a rumour.

• May 19: A person returning from "a business trip" in China was arrested in Bangladesh, prompting the Indian Government to verify whether he is ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua. Sources said that the person suspected to be Paresh Barua had been lodged in a safe house somewhere close to the Indian border in the east and he was being questioned by the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI). Officials in India and Bangladesh are moving with extreme caution - almost a fortnight has passed since the arrest - as several similar alerts had turned out to be false alarms earlier. Unconfirmed reports also said that ULFA 'general secretary' Anup Chetia, who had been in Bangladesh for over 10 years, was handed over to Indian authorities in New Delhi.

• May 18: Two ULFA linkmen- Ajit Nath alias Pranjit Barua - and Shamsher were arrested by SFs operating in Darrang District. The duo was intercepted near Patharighat in an Army mobile check post. One locally made pistol, four live rounds, two cellular phones and six blank ULFA leaflets were recovered from the possession of the linkmen.

• May 10: Two top ULFA leaders said that the banned outfit would not change its stance on ‘sovereignty’ while opting for talks with the Government, saying ULFA was not "chasing a dream aimlessly."

  The All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS) asked the State as well as the Union Governments to initiate peace talks with the NDFB. According to AATS, arrest of Ranjan Daimary would not solve the NDFB problem permanently. The Sangha members, alleging of discrimination against Daimary by the State Government, said that Daimary should be given the same status as Arabinda Rajkhowa or Raju Barua of the ULFA.

• May 9: Union Home Secretary G. K. Pillai said the Union Government is aware that the CPI-Maoist had been in touch with some of the other militant outfits in different parts of the country like NSCN-IM and ULFA. In its latest report, the Standing Committee attached to the MHA, however, quoted the Home Secretary as saying, "We don't have any evidence of direct outside support. This, in one sense, is so far a fully home grown and very clever and intelligent movement." About the links between the CPI-Maoist and Northeast-based insurgent groups, Pillai said that the CPI-Maoist had talks with the outfits in an effort to widen their movement. The Parliamentary Standing Committee has recommended that more counter-insurgency and jungle warfare colleges in line of the Vairengte in Mizoram should be opened.

• May 6: Two ULFA militants, Prafulla Cho and Madhav Bora, surrendered before BSF at Salmora BSF camp in Golaghat.

  India has sought custody of detained ULFA 'general secretary' Anup Chetia. The latest request was passed on to the visiting key aide and Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Mashiur Rahman. National Security Advisor (NSA) Shivshankar Menon reportedly conveyed New Delhi's desire to have custody of the ULFA leader Anup Chetia. Menon also expressed India's gratitude to Rehman for handing over NDFB 'chairman' Ranjan Daimary to India. The detained ULFA leader has completed his jail term in Bangladesh and currently under 'protective custody'. Dhaka has been maintaining that his application for political asylum is pending.

  ULFA 'vice-chairman' Pradip Gogoi said that the decision on the talks process would be taken collectively by its central committee. Gogoi said, "The presence of any particular individual is not important in this case. The decision has to be taken by the outfit's central committee leadership." ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah, who is opposed to talks with the Government sans sovereignty, had said that no leader of the outfit could individually take a decision on whether talks should be held or not. He further said that efforts to create a rift among people following Daimary's arrest should be avoided.

• May 6: Sources said that the next target of the banned ULFA to carry subversive activities is Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's home District Jorhat. "A group of six cadres of the outfit has already entered the district from the Nagaland side and are currently taking shelter in the district. The militants of the group are members of the B Company of the 28th battalion," sources added. Security measures have been tightened in the District. Police are on strict vigil at the suspected spots and Police checking have been increased all along the District.

  The United People's Federation of Assam (UPFA) urged upon the Government of India to expedite the peace talks with the NDFB, pro-talk ULFA, DHD, KLNLF and other outfits who are already under ceasefire to solve their problems politically.

• May 5: A10th class student, Santosh Agrahari, was injured when some ULFA militants opened fire at Pabon Agarwala at Moran under Moran Police Station in Dibrugarh District. According to sources, Pabon Agarwala had been issued an extortion note by the ULFA. When the militants came to collect the cash, they had an altercation with Agarwala leading to the firing.

• May 4: The steering committee formed by the April 24 Sanmilita Jatio Abhibartan (United National Convention) said that the ULFA central committee could only decide whether or not the militant outfit would sit with the Government of India for negotiation without its 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua. Moreover, it is also up to the central committee of the militant outfit to take a decision on whether or not the issue of sovereignty would be there on the agenda of the outfit's negotiation with the Union Government.

  Further, All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS) has said that the Ranjan Daimary should be treated in the manner the arrested ULFA leaders are being treated.

• May 3: Expressing concern over the activities of the Manipur-based militant outfit UNLF and CPI-Maoist in the State, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the case of the two recently-arrested UNLF leaders would be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Tarun Gogoi condemned the ULFA for being 'insincere' about the proposed talks by adamantly insisting on 'sovereignty' as the issue, saying that no dialogue was possible under the circumstances as sovereignty was 'non-negotiable'. Gogoi was also critical of the intellectuals who had been urging the Government to be flexible on the sovereignty issue. Gogoi said that the ULFA was not a revolutionary group as its leaders maintained a lavish lifestyle in foreign countries at the expense of their cadres. He further added that while some camps of the ULFA and other militant groups still existed in Bangladesh, the country was extending full cooperation to India in flushing out the militants.

  Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said the Ranjan Daimary was responsible for over 90 deaths during the October 30, 2008 serial blasts in the State. He said, "The arrest of Ranjan Daimary has definitely been a prized catch, as he was the most wanted ultra leader along with ULFA [United Liberation Front of Asom] 'c-in-c' Paresh Baruah. We have evidence that Daimary was responsible for over 90 deaths in the October 30 serial blasts."

  The NDFB was also maintaining close ties with different anti-India groups having bases in Bangladesh. According to an assessment by the SFs, at least a hundred trained cadres of the outfit are still in Assam, while, around 50 cadres must be in Bangladesh. Sources further said that the NDFB launched joint operations with the ULFA from time to time, but the outfit also maintained close ties with other groups like NSCN-IM, UNLF, All Tripura Tiger Forces (ATTF) and NLFT etc, as well as with some other anti-India groups in the neighbouring country. Sources revealed that under pressure in Bangladesh, anti-talk faction of the NDFB recently established a camp in Myanmar and is located near a camp of KYKL.

  Sources said that after the arrest of NDFB 'chief' Ranjan Daimary, the Government of India provided information about the whereabouts of several other militant leaders in Bangladesh and waiting for the response. Though the arrest of Ranjan Daimary is viewed as a major diplomatic victory for India, the Government will keep mounting diplomatic pressure on Bangladesh to take action against the militants, particularly those belonging to the ULFA and the NDFB, who are still staying in Bangladesh. Sources added that from the security point of view, the arrest of Ranjan Daimary was even more important than the arrests of the leaders of the ULFA.

  Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi warned that NDFB and ULFA cadres were looking to carry out subversive activities jointly in the State, including the capital city. His comments came hours after the anti-talks group of the NDFB vowed to continue its struggle for the legitimate rights of the Bodo people. An emailed statement from B. Ohnjalu of the NDFB 'publicity cell' to the media on May 2 stated that "the arrest of NDFB chief is unfortunate but the fight against India to liberate the Bodo people will continue." The statement also threatened that the Assam government would "get a better answer in the days to come if it does not hold talks with the NDFB."

• May 1: Bangladesh handed over Ranjan Daimary, the 'president' of the NDFB to India. Ranjan Daimary (50), wanted in numerous cases, was handed over at Dawki along the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya. Daimary's handing over came exactly five months after ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa and two others were arrested and brought to India. He is the fifth militant leader of an armed underground outfit of Assam to be handed over by Bangladesh. Daimary, founder of the NDFB was named as the prime accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the serial blasts of October 30, 2008 that had killed 88 persons and injured 540 persons in Guwahati and four other towns of Assam. Confirming his arrest, official sources in Guwahati said Daimary was handed over by Bangladesh Rifles to the Border Security Force (BSF), which in turn handed him over to the Assam Police. He was later shifted to Guwahati. Sources said Daimary was detained at Jinaighat in Sherpur District of Bangladesh in mid-April.

• April 30: ULFA militant Raja Bora, bodyguard of outfit's 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa, was produced before the Kamrup Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court in connection with the Bharalumukh blast, Bhangagarh blast and a case relating to the Special Investigation Team (SIT). The court sent him to 14-day judicial remand.

  Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said that Union Government is waiting for a nod from Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to start dialogue with the ULFA - with or without Paresh Barua. He said that the discussions are on between the State Government and Union Government. G.K. Pillai said, "We are waiting for a response from the Chief Minister of Assam. We would be initiating the talks with or without Paresh Barua." His response confirmed that the Union Government has endorsed the Chief Minister's view on holding dialogue with ULFA.

  Tarun Gogoi said that talks between the Government and the ULFA were possible without Paresh Baruah's participation, reports Sentinel. "The Centre had held talks with Naga leaders minus A. Z. Phizo. So, talks between the government and the ULFA are possible without Paresh Baruah's participation. To me, Paresh Baruah is not more powerful than Phizo." The Chief Minister, however, said, "We want Paresh Baruah to join the talks but we can't wait for him indefinitely." Gogoi also said his Government was getting signals from some ULFA leaders about their willingness to sit for talks with the Government. He played down the threat to his life by the ULFA. "I simply don't care about ULFA's threats as these are nothing new to me. There has always been a threat perception on my life and still I move around freely," he said.

• April 29: The ULFA has launched an extortion drive and served extortion notices to people in different parts of Assam. Security agencies expressed apprehension that the outfit might indulge in acts of violence to prove its existence so that those served with extortion notices can be forced to pay the demanded amounts. Sources revealed that the ULFA had divided the upper Assam area into three zones for launching extortion drives. The Districts of Jorhat and Golaghat were in one zone, Dhemaji and Lakhimpur Districts and Majuli River Island were included in the second zone and the Districts of Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia were included in the third zone. Sources said that different sections of people including politicians, traders etc received extortion demands from the ULFA in upper Assam areas.

  Sources further said that the '109^th battalion' of the ULFA had been asked to launch extortion drives in Boko, Palasbari and Chaygaon areas of Kamrup District and in Goalpara District. Drishti Rajkhowa, who heads the battalion, is now believed to be in Bangladesh and Gulit Das and Pradeep Basumatary have been entrusted with the responsibility of extortions on behalf of the battalion. Also, Hira Sarania 'commander' of '709^th battalion' is still at large and the battalion served extortion notices in parts of Guwahati city. The battalion also carried out joint operations with the members of the anti-talk faction of the NDFB from time to time to collect funds for the outfit in recent months.

  The MHA has sent a wireless message to the Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Sankar Barua that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his brother Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sushanta Biswa Sarma were on the hit list of the ULFA. The MHA has asked the State Police Chief to intensify the security of the three persons. The threat to the Chief Minister and the Health Minister comes even as State intelligence agencies warned of plans by the ULFA to stage serial bombings in Guwahati, besides carrying out abductions in the State.

  ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua once again stated, "ULFA will sit for talks only if sovereignty is included for negotiations. There is no point for the organization to put forth any further proposal." He said, "Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has violated the rights of the indigenous Assamese by stating that there can be no talks on the issue of sovereignty." Barua asked people to put pressure on the Government to hold a referendum on the issue of sovereignty.

• April 27: The Assam Police detained six persons from Goalpara and Kamrup Districts, including two from Guwahati, for planning to carryout bomb blasts in the Guwahati city. Sources confirmed that a team of '109^th battalion' of the ULFA had carried out a survey of the city and it was planning to carryout blasts in Guwahati. Sources revealed that the blasts were being masterminded by Drishti Rajkhowa, 'commander' of '109th battalion' of the outfit.

  Sources said, "The ULFA team is concentrating somewhere in Goalpara and the explosives, as per our intelligence report, have already been procured." However, sources refused that the subversive activities are being planned to derail the peace initiative taken by a group of distinguished citizens. Sources further claimed, "This appears to be a desperate move on the part of the outfit to make its presence felt and make some quick bucks through extortion."

  Telegraph quoting sources adds that explosives were suspected to have smuggled in from Bangladesh to Goalpara via the Garo Hills in Meghalaya. Police said, "According to information available with us, Drishti Rajkhowa, alias Mohan Rabha, has entrusted self-styled sergeant major Dipak to carry out blasts in the city. Ulfa is trying to hire outsiders like the poor unemployed youths or daily wage-earners to ferry and plant the bomb," adding that Dipak Das has several aliases like Dipak Rai, Arman Ali and Master.

• April 26: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on said, "Let the ULFA first respond to the resolutions adopted by the Citizens' Forum. We have to know what the ULFA thinks about the forum and also if the outfit's leadership acknowledges the initiative taken by it." He further said, "We are ready for talks, but they should shun violence and send a written proposal for peace talks first."

  The dead body of a surrendered ULFA militant, Jibon Bora, was recovered from near the railway tracks in Chungajan in Golaghat District. Police suspects it to be a case of murder.

• April 25: ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah might have returned to Bangladesh recently. Sources pointed out that Baruah always maintained close links with a section of officers of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), the intelligence agency of Bangladesh and India still believes that the political leadership of Bangladesh still does not have full control over all the Government agencies. Sources also pointed out that though four 'central committee leaders' of the ULFA were handed over to India, most of the hardcore militants, who are operationally active, have not been handed over. Sources said that the 'chairman' of the anti-talk faction of the NDFB, Ranjan Daimary, and a number of his followers are still in Bangladesh, while several key leaders of the ULFA, including Antu Chowdang and Drishti Rajkhowa are, also staying in Bangladesh.

  The State level convention organized by prominent citizens in Assam called for release of the jailed leaders of the ULFA to enable the outfit to hold its central committee meeting. Sources said that it would be difficult for the Government to do so without going through the judicial process. Sources said that it is unlikely on the part of the Government to grant general amnesty to the ULFA leaders till a settlement is arrived at. However, sources said that if the ULFA leaders in judicial custody apply for bail and the Government does not oppose it, they can come out on bail.

  On the demand of the convention that both the Government and the ULFA should come forward for talks without any pre-condition, sources said that the Government of India (GoI) is yet to change its position regarding talks. The GoI is of the view that talks with any militant group must be held within the framework of the Constitution of India and the militant groups must give up violence to come for talks. The Government has made it clear that sovereignty is not negotiable and the stand is yet to be changed.

• April 24: The NDFB and ULFA formed and nurtured several radical outfits like MULTA to get logistical support, shelter and passage in minority-dominated Districts of lower Assam. Also, the arrest of a MULTA cadre in Dhubri District on April 23, has unravelled involvement of MULTA in drug peddling. Four months ago, two MULTA cadres had been arrested with 400 grams of brown sugar in Meghalaya's Garo Hills District on December 29, 2009.

  Sources said that MULTA that stepped up its drug-peddling activities after intensive counter-insurgency operations against the ULFA and the NDFB, which have been supporting it reduced its strength considerably. Sources mentioned, "This is evident from the fact that many youths of minority community belonging to the NDFB or acting as its linkmen have been arrested from the lower Assam districts in the past few years." The source added, "The ISI is sitting at the helm of affairs and controlling the situation in the Northeast from Bangladesh and the fundamentalist organisations are carrying out their activities under the umbrella of Ulfa and the NDFB without much hue and cry." The report adds that it took a long time for the intelligence agencies to understand that ULFA and the NDFB were using these fundamentalist organisations as their conduit.

  Meanwhile, sources also said that no direct link had been found between the MULTA and any National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) faction. But since MULTA's patrons, ULFA and the NDFB, camped in Bangladesh and had tactical understanding with the NSCN factions for logistical support, it could be involved in arms racket, mentioned sources. The strategic location of Dhubri serves their purpose very well as the District shares an international border with Bangladesh, inter-State boundaries with Meghalaya and West Bengal and is in close proximity to Bhutan. All the narcotics routed to this part of the region come through Bangladesh. The Police and the Army have seized brown sugar five times in the past three years. Sources said though MULTA had lost considerable strength and was lying low at present, it was not totally depleted.

  The Sanmilita Jatiya Abhivartan convened at Guwahati by intellectuals and civil society activists of Assam on April 24, adopted several resolutions appealing to the Government to hold discussion with the ULFA on its various demands, including the core demands.

• April 23: ULFA stated that it might soften its stand on the sovereignty issue, a demand which the group had set as a precondition for talks with the Government, reports PTI. The outfit's 'vice chairman' Pradip Gogoi said, "Sovereignty is a vital demand of the ULFA. The government should show an interest in this demand." He, however, said "Discussion on sovereignty does not mean it has to be granted."

  Gogoi said that the people of Assam are hoping that the Government will create a favourable atmosphere for peace talks and are concerned about the ongoing operations by the Army and Paramilitary Forces. Gogoi hoped that the state-level convention of Committee of Intellectuals, formed to facilitate talks between the Union Government and ULFA, scheduled to be held on April 24 (today), would come out with valuable suggestions to take forward the peace process. He also hoped that the convention would create a favourable atmosphere so that ULFA central committee leaders could meet either outside or inside the jail, where they are currently lodged.

  Amid opposition from the ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah, a number of intellectuals and litterateurs of the State are going to hold the Sanmilita Jatiya Abhivartan at ITA Cultural Centre for Performing Arts at Muchkhowa, Guwahati on April 24. The convention, according to the intellectuals, has been convened to pave the way for talks between the ULFA and the Government.

• April 22: The ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa, deputy 'commander-in-chief' Raju Baruah and 'foreign secretary' Shashadhar Chouhury were produced in the TADA-designated court, in connection with eight cases pending against them. When asked to offer his views on ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah's rejection of a State-level convention by the peace forum constituted to take forward the peace process, Rajkhowa declined to make any comments. He said, "Personal views would only add to the confusion and lead to the people of Assam getting confused."

  The Union Government has clarified that no formal request for release of the ULFA leaders from jail has been received by Assam Government. In Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament), Union Minister of State for Home Affairs M. Ramachandran said that the Assam Government has informed that no demand for release of detained leaders from jail has been received from the ULFA. He declined to comment on the question whether the Government of Assam was keen on granting parole to at least eight top leaders currently in jail to facilitate talks.

  In another e-mail statement, Paresh Barua once again criticized some intellectuals of the State for having failed to understand the ULFA's ideology.

  The Assam Public Works (APW) criticized the ULFA Paresh Baruah for being a stumbling block to the peace process in Assam. APW President Abhijit Sarma and Secretary-General Bitu Talukdar, in a press statement issued, said that Paresh Baruah had been hindering several peace initiatives in Assam since 1990. "Paresh Baruah is being held captive by foreign forces. He has changed his name and religion and is working for the ISI and DGFI. He has never been interested in a peaceful solution to the ULFA issue," said Sarma and Talukdar.

• April 21: A suspected ULFA cadre, Dinesh Das, was arrested from Narangi area of Guwahati. Some incriminating documents, including demand notes of the outfit, were recovered from his possession.

  The ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua in an e-mail to the newly floated Citizen's Forum's leader Hiren Gohain, over the panel's plan to hold a convention on peace, said "There is no question of talks without the issue of sovereignty on the agenda. Agreeing to hold talks without the sovereignty issue would be like surrendering to the colonial forces," reports Telegraph. Barua's statement questioned Gohain's knowledge about ULFA and his commitment to solving the ULFA issue. "We believe that Gohain is not among those intellectuals who are working at the behest of the colonial forces to divide Ulfa. He should try to go deep into the Ulfa issue before coming up with suggestions," the statement further said. Reacting to Barua's statement, Gohain said, "I was Ulfa's critic earlier, I would rather advise Paresh Barua to read my books and numerous articles on the Ulfa issue".

  The 'deputy commander-in-chief' of the ULFA, Raju Barua, said that it was the central committee of the outfit that was empowered to take a decision in a free and fair atmosphere on holding peace talks with the Government of India, according to Shillong Times. He said that there was no division in the ranks of ULFA and all cadres and leaders of the outfit including those lodged in jail now supported the outfit's core demand for 'restoration of sovereignty' of Assam.

• April 20: Hiren Gohain, President of the Preparatory Committee for All Assam Convention for Revival of Talks between Government and the ULFA, said, "Let Paresh Baruah examine the contents of suggestions given by the State-level convention as a member of the central committee, which alone has the authority to take a final decision on the matter. If Baruah honours the constitution of the ULFA, he should wait until conditions are suitable for a meeting of the central committee in a situation free from constraints before rushing to the press." He stated, "We are not proposing an abject dishonourable surrender to the political and bureaucratic bosses in Delhi unmindful of the legitimate claims and demands of the natives of the State."

  Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in New Delhi said that the Government will not wait "indefinitely" for elusive ULFA military 'chief' Paresh Baruah to come for talks but expects "some good news" in the next few days, reports Shillong Times. He said, "We will not wait indefinitely for Paresh Baruah to come. We are ready to initiate dialogue with other leaders on all issues, except sovereignty." Gogoi said that Government wanted to involve all leaders of ULFA in the negotiations but everything will depend on the willingness and sincerity of the insurgent leaders.

  Regarding the ULFA's links with the CPI-Maoist in Assam, the Chief Minister said that all extremists groups like Maoists and ULFA are "in the same boat" as all of them believe in armed struggle, which is not acceptable for a democratic country like India. "Naxals, ULFA are in the same boat. Their objective is to achieve their goals through armed revolution. They just want to create problem for the country," he said. The Chief Minister also advised the Maoists to follow the footsteps of the erstwhile Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT), a militant group which after surrendering arms joined the democratic process and is now in power of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), if they really care about the development of poor people.

• April 19: Two ULFA linkmen were arrested by Security Forces (SFs) from village Outala and Chamuapara under Mangaldai Police Station of Darrang District on an unspecified date. The duo was, reportedly, close associates of self-styled 'lieutenant' of the '27^th battalion' of the outfit, Manoj Kama alias Mukul Rabha. Documents pertaining to banned ULFA outfit and some recharge vouchers of cellular phone were recovered from the possession of one of the ULFA linkman Jyotish Deka.

  ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua rejected the peace initiative taken by the newly floated Citizen's Forum stating that the outfit would never compromise on its demand for sovereignty. "We will never compromise on the issue of sovereignty. As such, we fail to understand how the Citizen's Forum will go ahead with the peace talks without our core demand for independence," Barua said in an e-mailed statement to the media. The forum had been floated to help broker peace between ULFA and the Government.

  Barua said, "We know that the persons organizing the convention on April 24 are prominent personalities of Assam, but they are committed to the Constitution of India, which took away the legitimate rights of the people of Assam." Also, the ULFA 'chief' added that the ULFA would sit for talks only if the Government of India agrees to hold talks on the issue of sovereignty of Assam and hoped that the convention would not call upon the outfit to come for discussions by giving up its demand and ideology. He said that the prominent citizens of Assam should put pressure on the Government of India to hold talks on the issue of sovereignty of Assam. They should also call upon the Government of India to arrange for a plebiscite on the issue of sovereignty of Assam.

  Paresh Barua said that 12,000 persons lost their lives during the ULFA's struggle for restoration of the historical rights of the indigenous people of Assam and now the outfit would never compromise on its demand for the interest of holding talks with the Government of India. "We will not respect any call by the convention of prominent citizens if we are asked to give up our demand," he asserted.

• April 18: Former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army's 4 Corps, Lieutenant General (retd) D.B. Shekhatkar warned that though the fundamentalist forces are lying low at this moment, the region is virtually sitting on a sleeping volcano, which may erupt at any time and "one should not be surprised if a demand for separation comes up by the end of the year 2018." He also pointed out that effective steps must be taken to prevent infiltration of foreigners to the region and a close watch must be maintained on the activities of the fundamentalist forces.

  He further pointed out that there have been demands for inclusion of the Northeast in the erstwhile East Pakistan (Bangladesh) since the time of Independence and even today, the demand is raised from time to time. The fundamentalist forces and Islamic militant groups are now lying low but they have their "sleeping cells", which can become active when they feel that the time is ripe for them to strike. The militant groups backed by Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), including the ULFA, are still active and there is no reason for the fundamentalist forces to use their manpower to create disturbance in the region at this moment.

• April 16: ULFA 'vice-president' Pradip Gogoi and 'publicity secretary' Mithinga Doimary visited Barpeta on an unspecified date, to know the views of the people of Barpeta about the ULFA and the Union Government talks before the Sanmilit Jatiya Abhibartan which will be held on April 24. The duo exchanged their views regarding the issue of ULFA-Government and also took advice from the leading citizens of the town. In their talk they said that at present ULFA is not a problem for the government. But the demands that ULFA raised at present became a great problem for the government. The duo cadres hoped that the noted persons of Assam must help them to make the ULFA cadres free who are in jail. The duo also mentioned that the people opined that there should not be any barrier to discuss about the issue of sovereignty of Assam which have been raised by ULFA since a long period.

• April 14: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that Assam Government will have no objection in allowing jailed ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa to visit his ailing 90-year-old mother, especially with people celebrating Assamese New Year or Bohag Bihu. Gogoi said, "I received a written appeal from Rajkhowa's family to allow him to see his old mother during Bihu. We have absolutely no problems in allowing the ULFA chairman to go and meet his mother. But since he is in judicial custody, it depends on the court." The Chief Minister further said that the Government would have no objection in allowing even other jailed leaders to visit their families during Bihu beginning on April 15. "We want peace and on the eve of Bihu I am extending my best wishes and greetings to even Paresh Baruah (the elusive ULFA commander-in-chief). Let all of them realise the futility of an armed struggle and see how we all are celebrating Bihu with our families," added Gogoi.

• April 13: Ajay Rajkonwar, brother of ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa, sent a fax message to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi requesting him to allow Arabinda Rajkhowa to go home to meet his ailing mother during Rongali Bihu festival.

• April 12: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi admitted the links between insurgent groups like ULFA and the CPI-Maoist. "There are reports about links between our insurgent outfits and Maoists. There is a probable link. I don't find much of a difference between them if you look at their respective ideologies and styles of functioning. Both start off by exploiting sentiments of the masses in underdeveloped areas and try to solve problems through armed struggle. The whole idea is to destabilise the government," Chief Minister said.

  Assam Chief Minister said that the Government would wait for some more time to have ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah in the proposed peace dialogue, but hinted that the talks could start without him as well, reports Assam Tribune. He further said that the doors for talks with militant outfits were open but that operations against them would continue as long as they indulged in violence.

  The Assam Government has to spend around INR 7.59 million a month for the 4,006 militant cadres who have been staying in various designated camps in the State. The militant outfits now in ceasefire and whose cadres are in such camps are the UPDS, DHD, BW, NDFB, Adivasi Cobra Force (ACF), Birsa Commando Force (BCF), KLNLF and the ULFA.

  One ULFA linkman, Asraf Ali (35), was arrested by the Army from Nampara village in Goalpara District on the same day.

• April 11: A Policeman was killed and another seriously injured in an encounter with the ULFA militants at Kochgaon Tinthengia in Dibrugarh District. The slain Policeman was Sisuram Das of 19 India Reserve Battalion (IRB). No militant was killed in the encounter. Additional Director-General Of Police (special branch) Khagen Sarma said that the Police team launched an operation in the area on the basis of information provided by three arrested ULFA cadres that a group of about five cadres, led by Ratul Bora, was camping in the area. The trio were arrested while trying to extort money from a brick kiln in the area.

  Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Tako Dabi said that there were definite intelligence inputs about ethnic guerrillas of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) from adjoining Myanmar infiltrating into the State's Changlang District in recent weeks. "We have already launched a military operation to drive out the KIA rebels, although we don't have any immediate information of them setting up bases in our state," Dabi said. The Home Minister said the KIA controls large part of northern Myanmar - a region where up to a half-a-dozen Indian separatist groups from the restive Northeast have well entrenched bases under KIA's direct patronage. "We cannot allow the KIA to stay here for long as it could have dangerous ramifications in the long run as Arunachal Pradesh does not have any home grown terror groups, but the State is becoming a hot bed of imported terror groups. We are also trying to find out if the KIA is trying to become close with the NDFB of Assam to help them shift bases to Myanmar and China," the Home Minister further said. The Home Minister added further that two of Assam's main militant groups, NDFB and ULFA, besides NSCN-IM and NSCN-K of Nagalnd, have presence in Arunachal Pradesh.

  A militant, identified as Bhadia Bhumij, managed to escape after a brief encounter with SFs at Kulapathar in Tinsukia District along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border on the same day.

  With the Assembly elections in Assam slated for 2011 drawing nearer, State Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has been putting pressure on the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the initiation of direct talks with the ULFA, even though top intelligence officials still maintain that time is not ripe for peace talks with the militant outfit. Top intelligence officials are of the opinion that the Government should take the issue of ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah into consideration while taking any decision on peace talks with the outfit.

  Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram also said, "Our efforts are on to bring Paresh Baruah to the table for talks. However, nothing can be said with certainty so long as Paresh Baruah is at large." According to sources, the Assam Government has already asked ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa and 'vice-president' Pradip Gogoi to prepare a list of their demands that are within the Constitution of India before the initiation of peace talks.

• April 10: Two former ULFA militants, identified as Pikash Rabha and Santu Rabha, who laid down arms in 2000, were arrested by the Goalpara District Police from Salpara for acting as linkmen.

  Myanmar's Ambassador to India U. Kyi Thein at Shillong in Meghalaya said that action against Indian insurgents in its territory will be initiated only after receiving military assistance from India. "We have informed India of our requirements to help us in fighting against the insurgents," the Ambassador said. "India has agreed to provide us our military requirements, but I cannot share with you our requirements," Thein said. He said, "We also shared the same problem (insurgency) like India. This problem will be sorted once India meet our requirements." The report adds that there are at least 15 insurgents' camps operating from Myanmar soil, fighting either for an autonomous or independent homeland in Manipur, Nagaland and Assam. The Centre asked the Myanmar to take action against the militant groups, including Manipur-based United National Liberation Front (UNLF), People's Liberation Army (PLA), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) Assam-based ULFA and Nagaland-based National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) and National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) operating from Sagaing division and the Chin State of Myanmar. Thein said that the problem of insurgency across the India-Myanmar border can be sorted out through infrastructure development. "We (India- Myanmar) now plan to develop infrastructure in the border with special emphasis on enhancing connectivity," the Ambassador informed.

• April 9: The Dhubri Zila Praktan ULFA Samannayrakshi Samiti (an organisation of former ULFA cadres) has called a 12-hour Dhubri District bandh (general shutdown) beginning from 5am. Dilip Barman, who was attacked on April 7, is a central committee member of the organisation. The president of the Samiti, Sushil Chandra Roy, said that Barman was attacked by Bodoland Peoples'' Front (BPF) candidate Doneswar Goyari and his armed supporters when he was on his way back home from his uncle's house in Satipara village in the Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD).

  The Samiti (Dhubri Zila Praktan ULFA Samannayrakshi Samiti) asked Assam Governor J.B. Patnaik to use his office to get ULFA, 'general secretary', Anup Chetia, extradited from Bangladesh. A seven-member group of the Samiti in a memorandum also said the Government and ULFA should start honourable talks at the earliest and Chetia should be part of the dialogue. Chetia is in custody of Bangladesh. The development comes a day after ULFA, 'vice-chairman' Pradip Gogoi, writing in the outfit's mouthpiece, Freedom, said the time had come to seek the opinion of masses, of different organizations and races.

  Two ULFA cadres, Bharat Kataki (20) and Balin Bora (19), were arrested by the Police from Deotala under Narayanpur Police outpost in Lakhimpur District. The Police recovered two cellular phones, five subscriber identity module cards, one khukuri (knife) and a bike from their possession.

• April 7: Suspected ULFA cadres hoisted the outfit's flag in Rajgarh market, while supporters of the outfit tried to hoist the flag in an open field near the Tinsukia deputy commissioner's office. "We chased two boys who were carrying an Ulfa flag and managed to catch one of them, Lakhi Moran, a resident of Pengeri and a student of Tinsukia ITI. His accomplice, Raju Moran, is absconding," a senior Police official in Tinsukia said.

  Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that operations against ULFA would continue because the outfit was still recruiting cadres. "If Ulfa continues to indulge in violence we will keep our operations going. We can't lower our guard," Gogoi said.

  ULFA leader Arabinda Rajkhowa's former personal bodyguard, Dilip Barman, was attacked in Dhubri.

  The ULFA hoisted its organizational flag at Bakaliaghat in Karbi Anlong on account of its Foundation Day. The outfit hoisted flag at No. 2 Udali Lower Primary School premises. The local administration claimed for a long time that the ULFA was inactive or has been neutralized in the hill District Karbi Anglong. But the ULFA's organizational flag hoisting only at a distance of 200 metres from the 5th Rajputna Rifles Camp has shown presence of the militant organization in the District.

• April 6: ULFA celebrated its '31^st raising day' with supporters and suspected cadres unfurling the proscribed outfit's flag in various places across Assam. A flag was hoisted on the Moran College campus under Moranhat Police Station in Sivasagar District on April 6. Police later removed the flag and picked up Gopal Bhujjal, the night chowkidar of the college, for questioning.

  A cadre belonging to the outfit's '28^th battalion' of the ULFA, identified as Pinku Bora, was arrested by the Police from Lakhimpur.

• April 5: A ULFA militant, identified as 'captain' Apurba Barua, was shot dead by a combined force of the Police and the Army during an encounter at Rongalgre village in West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya near Meghalaya-Assam border. Other militants managed to escape from the encounter site.

  ULF is said to have stepped up activities across some pockets in Upper Assam with a group entering Borhat in Sivasagar District and the Kakopathar-Pengeri areas in Tinsukia District, prompting SFs to sound an alert. The development comes ahead of the outfit's Raising Day on April 7, a day when it has carried out strikes in the past. An MIU source said "The group is equipped with sophisticated weapons like AK-series rifles, hand grenades and a huge quantity of explosives. We are tracking them and hope to get them soon."

  The sources added that the group had come from the Myanmar camps of the outfit and entered Assam through Tirap District of Arunachal Pradesh. However, the tardy progress in the peace process affected the confidence of the pro-talks ULFA group and boosted the morale of the anti-talks faction. There is another report of yet another seven-member group entering the Pengeri-Kakopathar-Bordumsa area in Tinsukia District. All these areas had always been a hotbed for the outfit. "We are tracking the movements of this group. An alert had been sounded throughout the district and we are confident that we will be able to prevent this group from carrying out any acts of violence," a senior Police official of the District said. Mrinal Hazarika, a leader of the pro-talks ULFA camp, blamed the State as well as the Union Government for the reported resurgence of ULFA in Upper Assam. He said "Talks are the only possible way out. We will keep on repeating this. Direct talks between the Centre and the outfit are the only solution."

• April 4: An exchange of fire took place between the Army and suspected ULFA militants at Litong Betoni village under Pengeri Police Station in Tinsukia District. The encounter took place when the Army personnel were carrying out a search operation in the village after receiving information of ULFA militants taking shelter at the house of one Bholen Moran. However, no casualty was reported in the incident.

  Sources said that though the cadres of ULFA and anti-talk faction of the NDFB also visit Tirap and Changlang Districts of Arunachal Pradesh, from time to time, their activities have not caused much concern as yet. "The ULFA and NDFB use the area for tactical retreat whenever pressure is mounted on them in Assam and though there were some reports of the members of the groups indulging in extortions, they have not created much trouble in the area so far. Moreover, the NSCN-IM, which is demanding inclusion of the Districts in the 'Greater Nagalim', has a stake in the area, which the ULFA and NDFB do not have," sources added.

• April 3: Communist Party of India (CPI) National Executive member Promode Gogoi demanded of the State Government to release all the jailed leaders of the ULFA so as to initiate political dialogue with the militant outfit. Gogoi said that from the very beginning, the Assam State Council of the CPI had been demanding that the demands raised by the ULFA should be solved through discussion without any preconditions.

• April 2: One ULFA cadre, identified as Kaushal Kunwar alias Amar Kakoti, was arrested by Security Forces (SFs) from Pithalibam village in Dibrugarh District. His wife Nomi Kunwar alias Runi Tai was also called in the Police Station for further interrogation. Police sources said both the husband-wife duo was staying in Pithalibam village in disguise.

  P. Chidambaram said that violence and militancy in the "Northeast have come down". Chidambaram said, "We simply have to get more groups to talk to us. 2009 was a big success in containing militancy and talks through interlocutors are going on with some major groups, including the NSCN-IM." On talks with the ULFA, he further said: "We are ready to talk to ULFA and others also if they abjure violence and express willingness. However, there are splinter groups which are carrying out extortion and other unlawful activities. We will take firm action against them." He reviewed the law and order situation in Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Tirap and Changlang Districts that were declared disturbed under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, with the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and other security agencies.

• March 29: One 'commander' of the '27^th battalion' of the ULFA, identified as Mridul Kalita alias Samar Jyoti alias Saurabh, was killed in an encounter with the SFs, at Madeligaon village near Dalongghat under Kalaigaon Police Station in Udalguri . As the SFs reached the house of one village farmer Chinta Ram Barua, the militant lobbed three grenades upon the troops, which immediately exploded on the spot, in an attempt to escape. But the retaliation made by the SFs resulted in the killing of the militant on the spot. One 9-mm pistol along with two magazines and 12 rounds of live ammunition, a cash of INR 204000, 95 subscriber identity module cards along with seven cellular phones, several unaddressed extortion notes and some incriminating documents were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.

  Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram would make an aerial survey of the India-Myanmar border along Arunachal Pradesh on April 3, fuelling speculation that a joint operation against Northeast militants based in the neighbouring country is on the cards. He would visit Arunachal Pradesh on April 1 during which he would also visit Tawang, Tirap, Changlang, Lower Subansiri and Papum Pare Districts to take stock of the situation along the China-India and India-Myanmar borders. Cadres of ULFA and NDFB are said to be hiding in the forest camps in Myanmar's Sagaing division where the NSCN-K has its headquarters. Source said Chidambaram would address a high-level security meeting with officials of the Army and other security agencies on April 3 after visiting Tirap and Changlang Districts, which border Myanmar, and have been affected by insurgency in an otherwise peaceful State.

  Assam Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain in the State Legislative Assembly said that among the active militant groups, the ULFA has a strength of 875 cadres, while the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) has 225 cadres, AANLA has 30 cadres, Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) has 40 cadres, Hmar People's Convention- Democracy (HPC-D) has 50 cadres, MULTA has 110 cadres and Assam unit of the Harkat-ul-Mujaheedin has 45 cadres. The Minister further said that the Unified Command structure is active in the State for launching coordinated operations against militants. The Minister informed the House that in the last two years, 535 persons, including 494 civilians and 41 SFs, were killed by militants, while, during the same period, 333 militants were killed by SFs in counter-insurgency operations. He added that two outfits, Bircha Commando Force (BCF) and Adivasi Cobra Force (ACF), are in suspension of operation with the State Government and two others- BW and KLNLF laid down arms to join the mainstream.

• March 28: One US carbine, a gun and ammunition were recovered by the BSF from the house of ULFA linkman, M. Lotha at Binapur in Golaghat District.

• March 24: A three-member team of the 'B' company of the '28th battalion' of the ULFA led by Sujit Mohan is reportedly holding talks with the Assam Police on a possible ceasefire agreement. Sources said, "The 'B' company of the ULFA's 28th battalion has come forward for ceasefire with the government. A three-member team of the 'B' company is holding talks with the Special Branch of the Assam Police."

• March 23: The Meghalaya Police launched a counter-insurgency operation to flush out the ULFA militants from the thick forests of East and South Garo Hills Districts, in Meghalaya.

• March 21: Two suspected cadres belonging to the '27^th battalion' of the ULFA, identified as Samesh Choudhury and Dipak Bora, were arrested by the SFs for demanding money from a person in Dispur area of Guwahati city.

• March 19: The Meghalaya Governor R. S. Mooshahary expressed concern over mushrooming of militant groups in Garo hills and the activities of Assam-based outfits along the border. The Governor said that recent developments, such as reports on the formation of militant groups in Garo hills, were a cause of concern. Other militant groups active in Garo hills are LAEF, People's Liberation Front of Meghalaya (PLF-M), Achik National Security Defence (ANSD), Atong Liberation Army (ALA), and United Achik National Front (UANF). ULFA and NDFB are also active in Garo hills and border of Ri Bhoi District. The Governor said that the Government was committed to contain militancy at all costs. The Governor added that the security establishment of the State has acted swiftly to break up and contain the activities of the Hynniewtrep Liberation Front (HLF) in Khasi hills, and LAEF in the Garo hills. He said the activities of the local militant organisations like the HNLC and ANVC have been substantially controlled.

• March 17: General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 4 Corps Lieutenant General Gyan Bhusan at Tezpur said the outlawed ULFA in Assam is a spent force and has lost its sting following sustained counter-insurgency operations and people's apathy towards the insurgent group now. "The ULFA today has become weak with a large number of their top leaders either eliminated or captured. The ULFA is in total disarray," said Gyan Bhusan. He further said, "The ULFA is not in a real position to even regroup now. In the last few important occasions like the Republic Day and the Bihu (Assamese harvest festival in January) they simply could not do anything as they are on the run."

• March 16: Saurav Gogoi, surrendered ULFA leader, was arrested by the Police following an instruction from the Union Government on the charge of threatening Brahmaputra Crackers & Polymers Limited (BCPL) officials. He was, however, released on bail later on.

  The outlawed outfit ULFA hoisted a flag of the outfit in the District headquarter town of Darrang at Mangaldai. The cadres of the outfit on the occasion of the ‘Military Day’ of the outfit unfurled their flag near the Swahid Bedi at Mangaldai College. However on receipt of the information Darrang Additional Superintendent of Police Sushanta Biswa Sarma rushed to the spot and seized it.

  Amid speculation over peace talks with the ULFA, the outfit is busy reorganising, in a bid to emerge as a force to reckon with ahead of the Assembly elections, slated for early next year (2011). The SFs have received "disturbing" inputs about ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua re-allocating specific tasks and responsibilities among his top rung leaders. The outfit has finalised its blueprint for regrouping at a meeting held at its central command headquarters, known as Rupohi Ashroy Shibir, at Bakapura in Sherpur District of Bangladesh recently, sources added. According to the Police, cadres will function under the direct supervision and command of Barua and self-styled ‘major’ Jibon Moran. "Although Ulfa has weakened, we can’t afford to lower our guard as no one knows how long this lull will last. Moreover, they may try to carry out strikes ahead of the Assembly polls in order to create pressure on political parties and their candidates," the source said.

  More than 10,000 militants surrendered before the Government in Assam since 1998. As per the list submitted by the Assam Government in the State Assembly, the ULFA topped the list of surrendered militants as during the period from 1998 to March 5, 2010, more than 4260 militants belonging to the outfit have laid down arms. The list included 2711 militants of the BLT, which was disbanded following the signing of the Memorandum of Settlement between the Government and the outfit in 2003. The list included 514 KLNLF and 416 BW militants. These outfits surrendered weapons to come for talks with the Government for political solution of their problems.

  The Union Government has ruled out the possibility of the ULFA maintaining permanent camps in Arunachal Pradesh. "There is no report of any permanent camp of the ULFA in Arunachal Pradesh, although there are reports of some activities of ULFA in the State," said Union Minister of State for Home Affairs M. Ramachandran in Rajya Sabha (Upper House). In 2009, Assam recorded 424 incidents, marking an increase over 2008, when 387 incidents took place. However, killing of civilians had declined last year with 152 deaths, while in 2008, 245 civilians fell to bullets of insurgents, he added. Manipur continued to lead the table, with the State recording 659 incidents last year, which was marginally less than the previous year, when 740 incidents were recorded.

• March 15: Assam Tribune quoting security sources reports that the interrogation of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) leaders arrested in recent past indicated the game plan of the groups to extend cooperation to militant groups in the Nortesat. The main aim of the Maoists is to divert the attention of the Government and SFs. The Maoists have already tried to establish links with the ULFA as such a move would be beneficial for both sides.

• March 8: A ULFA linkman, identified as Dipak Bhumij of Tiphuk tea estate, was arrested by the SFs at Sivasagar. A 9-mm pistol was recovered from his possession.

  The Assam Government assured the Assembly that all efforts were on to trace the ‘commander-in-chief’ of BW, Niranjan Hojai, who had gone missing from a designated camp about two months ago. According to other sources, Hojai could remain in hiding till the political process with the BW begins and he manages to get amnesty. "In that case, he doesn’t have to go to jail although the process of getting amnesty could be time consuming. Otherwise, he lands in jail as soon as he surfaces," a source said, adding the court could soon declare him a "proclaimed offender". Assam Forest and Environment Minister Rockybul Hussain said that action would be taken against the cadres of the militant groups who had fled their designated camps. So far, 15 BW militants, seven DHD militants, 40 NDFB militants and five ULFA cadres have fled their designated camps.

• March 7: The Union Government may not be willing to allow ULFA ‘commander in chief’ Paresh Baruah to "hold talks to hostage" for an indefinite period if the other leaders of the outfit express their desire to solve the problems through discussions, highly placed official sources said.

  Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Chief Hagrama Mahilary held talks with ULFA ‘publicity secretary’ Mithinga Daimari at the latter’s residence at Nizzuluki near Barama of Baksa District in Assam.

  ‘Chairman’ of the ULFA’s women wing Kaberi Kachari, who is also the wife of the ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa, also held dialogue with Mithinga Daimari at Nizzuluki. Kaberi met Mithinga along with Runumi Chetia, wife of ULFA’s ‘foreign secretary’ Sasha Chaudhury.

• March 5: A 45-year-old businessman, Nepal Halder, who was abducted on February 21 and held hostage in forests — possibly in Assam — returned to Malda District of West Bengal. A day after his abduction from Old Malda on February 21, his wife Gangarani had received a call demanding INR ten million for his release. But the family members refused to say if they had paid the ransom to secure the release. Police suspect that he had been abducted by KLO or ULFA militants and a financial deal had been struck for his release.

• March 4: Founder ‘vice-chairman’ of ULFA, Pradip Gogoi, was released from jail after 18 years and he immediately called for initiation of the peace process to end insurgency in Assam. The court of the Kamrup Chief Judicial Magistrate freed Gogoi after the ULFA leader furnished INR 1.2 million in bail bonds as sureties in nine cases. Gogoi urged the Government to release other top jailed leaders, including ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa, ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain and ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Baruah to expedite the peace process.

  The Centre clarified that it had not received any formal request for peace dialogues so far at the organizational level from the ULFA. The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs said that the Government of India has always shown its willingness to enter into dialogue with any group, which is willing to abjure the path of violence and place its demand within the framework of the Constitution of India. Sources added that at least one round of meeting between top officials and the ULFA leaders were held in the jail premises. The ULFA leaders were advised to draft its charter of demands.

• March 3: Two ULFA cadres, identified as Prahlad Malakar and Akon Das, were arrested by the Police at Barpara in Bongaigaon District.

• March 2: The ‘commander-in-chief’ of ULFA, Paresh Baruah, has started reorganising the outfit. Security sources said that at least 30 to 40 members of the outfit are still in Bangladesh. The ‘central committee headquarters’ of the ULFA is still located in the Bakapura area in Sherpur District of Bangladesh. After the arrests of the top leaders of the outfit, the ‘commander-in-chief’ is now the most powerful man in the outfit and Jiban Moran is the ‘second in command’. Sources added that ULFA has made three ranks among the remaining senior members. Most of the members of these three groups are still in Bangladesh. Sources further said that all is not well in the ‘28th battalion’ headquarter of the ULFA in Myanmar and the top leaders have ‘suspended’ a senior member Sujit Mohan. Though Bijoy Das alias Bijoy Chinese is now heading the ‘28th battalion’, still considered the strongest wing of the outfit, personality clashes among the senior members have created problems.

  In the Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, the Governor of Assam, J. B. Patnaik said that the Government is ready for talks with the militants within the framework of the Constitution of India. In his speech, the Governor said that there has been perceptible improvement of the law and order situation mainly because of constant pressure by the SFs. A number of top United Liberation Front of Asom ULFA leaders were arrested in last few months, while, two important militant groups - KLNLF and Black Widow surrendered arms. "While we will continue to deal with any act of violence firmly, I would like to say that the doors are open for negotiation within the framework of the Constitution of India," the Governor added.

• February 25: A ULFA cadre was shot dead and another cadre arrested when the SFs neutralised a hideout at Chachinat village of East Garo Hills District in Meghalaya. The slain cadre was identified as self-styled 'sergeant' Bidyut Kalita of the '109^th battalion' of the ULFA. Two AK-81 assault rifles, 129 live rounds of ammunition, one Dragonov sniper rifle with 76 bullets, one kilogram of RDX explosives and a wireless set, one voltmeter and extortion notes were recovered from the hideout. The '109^th battalion' is entrusted with mainly logistical work, like guiding ULFA militants to and from Bangladesh through Garo Hills, which borders the neighbouring country and Assam. The Police said the villages along the border areas of East Garo Hills have become a safe hideout for ULFA militants. The anti-talks faction of NDFB also uses the tract.

  Modalities for ULFA talks may figure at the meeting slated to be held between Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in New Delhi.

  After meeting with Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in Delhi reiterated the outfit's need to drop the issue of sovereignty and abjure violence before any parley. They discussed ULFA's demand for direct talks with the Centre. However, a source said both agreed that the talks, as and when they are held, should also involve the State Government. The meeting also dwelt upon the efforts being made to bring all the ULFA leaders, including Barua to the talks table, but was unanimous on the view that the Government could not keep waiting. After his discussion with Chidambaram, Gogoi said, "The government is ready for talks with the ULFA but there will be no discussion on sovereignty. There is also no plan to suspend operations against the group." On ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua, Gogoi said, "We will also try to bring Paresh Barua to the negotiation table. But if he doesn't come, we will go ahead with the peace process." Gogoi said the indication from the ULFA was positive and the Government was hopeful of initiating the peace process soon. "But we don't specify any time-frame," he added.

  After six years in prison, the ULFA 'publicity secretary', Mithinga Daimary (43), was released. After his release from the Guwahati Central Jail, he went to his house at Barama in Nalbari District. Daimary said, "I will meet the jailed ULFA leaders within a day or two on peace talks. It's not possible to take any decision inside the jail, and as such the Government should ensure the unconditional release of the jailed ULFA leaders." He appealed to 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua to agree for talks on. However, ULFA 'vice-chairman' Pradip Gogoi said peace talks would depend much on the Government's stand. "We can't take any decision till our general secretary Anup Chetia comes from Bangladesh," he added.

• February 23: The Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, court released two top ULFA leaders, 'vice-chairman' Pradip Gogoi and 'publicity secretary' Mithinga Daimary on bail, according to Sentinel. IANS quoted the Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi saying, "We also hope talks will begin and are confident that the jailed ULFA leaders will respond. We would hold talks with them with dignity and honour."

• February 21: The Assam Government transferred ULFA's political ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain alias Mama to the Guwahati Central Jail from Tezpur in an attempt to allow all the top jailed leaders of the outfit to meet inside the prison to chart out a road map for peace talks.

• February 19: An unidentified ULFA cadre was shot dead by the Army at Lakhopur village in the Helecha-Lakhopur area in Nalbari District.

  The designated TADA court granted bail to ULFA 'vice-chairman' Pradip Gogoi in three cases registered against him. His counsel said that the bail was granted on conditions that till the disposal of the cases he would not travel abroad, deposit his passport, if any, in the court and not leave Assam, area under the jurisdiction of the court, without prior permission from the court or the officer-in-charge of the Police Station of the area where he is a permanent resident.

  Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in Guwahati said: "We haven't got any indication from the ULFA for peace talks as yet, and without any indication from the outfit we can't move ahead. The outfit is adamant on its stand that talks can't be held in handcuffs and from jail. We know this difficulty, but can't do anything before the initiation of peace talks," reports Sentinel. On ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah, he said, "We also want that he should take part in the peace process, but we can't wait for him for long. Our efforts to persuade him for peace talks or arresting him are on."

• February 17: A person, Ajay Rajkhowa, was arrested by the Police from Nazira of Sibsagar District for demanding money from a businessman in the name of ULFA.

• February 16: A designated Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) court deferred its decision on bail applications of ULFA ‘vice-chairman’ Pradip Gogoi and ‘publicity secretary’ Mithinga Daimary by a few days. Meanwhile, the Assam Government stated that it has no objection if the two jailed ULFA leaders were granted bail by the court, adds Telegraph. The Government made the submission before the designated court during the hearing of the bail plea. A source said that all the jailed ULFA leaders were likely to be released in phases as part of the groundwork for starting a dialogue.

• February 15: The Assam Government asked the Centre to equate ULFA with the NSCN when it comes to setting pre-conditions for cease-fire and subsequent talks.

• February 14: A suspected militant belonging to '709 battalion' of the ULFA, identified as Kamal Boro, was arrested by the Police from Adamgiri Hill at Maligaon in the Guwahati city.

• February 13: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in Guwahati said that ULFA's self-styled 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah is trying to regroup the cadre to derail the peace process initiated in Assam. "Paresh Baruah, with a handful of his supporters, is trying to regroup the residual cadre for a showdown in the coming days apparently to derail the peace process which seems to be in the offing with the arrest of many top leaders," Gogoi said. The Chief Minister further said that the activities of NSCN-IM were on the rise in the border Districts of Assam including North Cachar Hills, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Jorhat, Sibsagar and Tinsukia.

  Another disturbing factor, he added, was attempt by leftists' elements to influence adivasi and other tribal youths in the State. Meanwhile, Assam Tribune quoting sources reports that Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishan met ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah on an unspecified date after the arrest of ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa. Security sources said that Myanmar could be the venue. The meeting between the two was confirmed when Kishan himself admitted the fact in an interview.

  The 'chairman' of ULFA, Arabinda Rajkhowa said that his outfit was not for peace talks but was keen to resolve long-drawn contentious political issues through negotiations. When asked about ULFA's demand for sovereignty, he said, "I don't want to say anything more as things may get complicated. We don't want to complicate the situation."

• February 12: A day after the KLNLF gave up its arms, the Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi asked the ULFA, NDFB and other militant groups to lay down their arms to build a peaceful Assam founded on the ideals propagated by Sankardev, in Titabor of Jorhat District. "The ULFA, NDFB and other terrorist groups of Assam should follow Sankardev’s ideology and humanism to build a peaceful Assam. They should follow the ideals of the great Assamese prophet and lay down their arms in the greater interest of a peace in the State," said Gogoi.

  The pro-talks ULFA described the Government’s decision to the arms surrender term for talks as a step in the right direction, which might even prompt the outfit to consider coming forward for talks. Mrinal Hazarika, a leader of the pro-talks group, said, "Ulfa is not like the DHD or the KLNLF. You cannot impose conditions on them." Union home secretary G.K. Pillai on February 11 had said that the Centre had never asked the NDFB or ULFA to lay down arms but only to abjure violence if they wanted talks.

• February 10: Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Tariq Ahmed Karim said in Shillong that Anup Chetia, ‘general secretary’ of the ULFA, under detention in Bangladesh, after serving a jail term, would be handed over to India soon. He said "It’s happening. You will know when you get him." He further claimed that there were no camps of Northeast militants in Bangladesh at present, added Telegraph. "There are no militant camps that I know of. Action has been taken very seriously against the insurgents who had set up camps", Karim added further.

• February 9: Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said, "We are trying to apprehend Paresh Baruah who is in the Kachin region bordering China. We are putting pressure on Myanmar for this. Paresh Baruah is trying to establish links with China for shelter and arms." He said that Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi will decide on whether talks with the ULFA [United Liberation Front of Asom] should be held even without Paresh Baruah's participation. He further said that the Centre will discuss Paresh Baruah's links with the NSCN-IM during the meeting with the Naga outfit in April. About ULFA leader Anup Chetia, now in Bangladesh, he said, "We are hopeful that Chetia would come back to Assam soon," he further added.

  The main opposition party of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), denied reports that its key official and party chief's son Tarique Rahman had met Indian fugitive militant Paresh Barua, according to Sentinel. Opposition chief whip in Parliament Zainal Abedin Farroque said that the reports were "a concocted story" based on a confession made by Mohammed Hafizur Rahman, a key witness in the Chittagong arms haul case.

• February 7: A ULFA militant, identified as Biswajeet Rabha, was arrested by the SFs from Majapara village in Goalpara District.

  The arrested prime accused in the Bangladesh's biggest ever arms haul case has claimed that former Bangladesh Premier Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman was involved in an abortive smuggling of weapons, believed to be meant for the ULFA militants. The State-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news agency quoted a senior Police official as saying, "Hafizur Rahman (the prime accused) has told the magistrate that he had met Tarique Rahman at Hawa Bhaban along with ULFA leader Paresh Barua on April 1, 2004." Investigation Officer Mohammad Moniruzzaman said the latest statement of Hafiz seemed to be a "major development" in the investigation process since a reinvestigation into the scam was ordered two years ago.

  The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi called for strict vigilance along the India-Myanmar border following reports of ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah seeking to regroup the remaining ULFA cadres in a bid to derail the peace process. He said, "Hence, the need of the hour is to increase vigilance along the Indo-Myanmar border by advancing the BOPs manned by Assam Rifles closer to the border." He further said, "The Myanmar-based NSCN-K has been offering all forms of assistance and logistical support to the ULFA, ever since it was formed, which must be curtailed at this crucial juncture though the good office of the central government." Both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram expressed satisfaction over the comparative downward trend of level of violence in the Northeast barring, of course, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Prime Minister Singh said that in the Northeast, the number of incidents has gone down in 2009 as compared to the preceding year.

  The Meghalaya Chief Minister, D.D. Lapang asked the Centre to go for a tripartite political and development accord with the Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) to bring the ongoing peace process to a logical conclusion, reports Shillong Times. He also stated that insurgent outfits like ULFA, National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), NDFB and UPDS are not only supporting groups like Liberation of Achik Elite Force (LAEF), but also providing them arms, ammunition and training. He said that insurgent outfits both from the Northeast and adjoining Bangladesh were also using the peaceful State of Meghalaya both as temporary sanctuary and corridor. Lapang further claimed that both ANVC and Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) have been largely neutralised with a sustained Police operation. But passive militancy is still a cause for concern, he further added.

• February 6: A ULFA militant was shot dead in an encounter at Garobasti in Goalpara District. Two Chinese grenades and a pistol were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.

• February 5: A suspected ULFA militant was shot dead by SFs at Chakrashila reserve forest near Choaikhola in Kokrajhar District.

  The Centre convened a meeting in Delhi to review the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in Assam, with focus on efforts to draw ULFA to the negotiating table. A source said this would be the first meeting involving high-profile officials since the arrest of several ULFA leaders, including 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa.

  Security agencies have drawn up a list of 22 ULFA and NDFB militants whose arrest or elimination would deliver a terminal blow to the network of operatives of both the outfits within Assam. Source said, "All of them are currently in Assam and we have taken all possible steps to ensure that they cannot leave the state." Both the militant outfits are operating in tandem in several Districts of Assam.

  A meeting of the top Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Intelligence Bureau and Assam Police officials held in New Delhi decided to continue counter-insurgency operations against ULFA in Assam till the outfit agreed to talks. Halting anti-ULFA operations was ruled out during the meeting since officials feared that such a move would offer the outfit an opportunity to regroup, as had happened a couple of years ago.

  The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, endorsing the stand of the Centre on the peace process, emphasised the need for a written communication from the jailed leaders. "We need a letter from the ULFA leaders to start the peace process," he said. "Without some kind of written commitment from the ULFA leaders it will be difficult on our part to start the process. What happens tomorrow if they back out," Gogoi added further.

• February 3: An ULFA militant, Diganta Sonowal, was arrested by Teok Police from Kaliapani in Jorhat District. 13 bullets of AK-47 rifle were recovered from his possession.

  ULFA 'publicity secretary' Mithinga Daimary denied the outfit's 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah's statement that 'some broker intellectuals' of the State have been putting mental pressure on the jailed ULFA leaders on peace talks with the Government.

  Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Tariq Ahmed Karim hinted at handing over jailed ULFA 'general secretary' Anup Chetia, but wanted Indian Government to reciprocate by deporting some of its wanted terrorists allegedly hiding in India. He said, "I cannot comment on whether Anup Chetia would be handed over. But let me say, if you have got back some of the terrorists (meaning the recent handing over of ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and three more top leaders and their family members to India), I see no reason why you cannot get others also."

• February 2: Two suspected ULFA cadres, identified as central Assam 'area commander' Bosa Singh alias Ranojjal Kakoty and his bodyguard Ankur Bonia alias Bishnuram Deka shot dead by troops of 65 Field Regiment of Red Horns Division during an encounter at Dakkhin Bhokelikanda under Kalaigaon Police Station in Udalguri District. A six year old boy, Lakhya Jyoti Deka, was killed in crossfire of the encounter. A trooper was also injured in the encounter. . An AK-56 rifle, 60 rounds of live ammunition, two pistols, four Chinese grenades, a satellite phone, six cellular phones and incriminating documents were recovered from their possession.

  The hardcore militant belonging to '709th battalion' of the ULFA, identified as Raju Deka alias Mustafa Mohammad (30) of Mangaldoi, was arrested by SFs personnel from the Talap area in Tinsukia District. Around three kilograms of explosives were recovered from his possession. SFs claimed to have thwarted the outfit's designs to create fresh terror with the arrest of the militant. Military intelligence sources said that another militant, Hemanta Rajbongshi was leading a 12-member group from '709th battalion' and was looking for possible targets in Upper Assam.

  Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the Assam Government is ready for peace talks with the ULFA, but the outfit has to give to its written assurance that is ready for peace talks. Gogoi said, "If the ULFA just writes - we are ready for peace talks with the government - the government gets the basis to start the peace process. We will consider other demands of ULFA leaders like 'no talks with handcuffs in hands, dignity' etc."

  The ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa said they could not talk with the Government while in custody. He said, "We cannot propose to hold talks with the government when we have handcuffs on." ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua on the other hand warned 'intellectuals' working at the behest of the Government against the outfit of dire consequences. In an e-mailed statement, he once again came down harshly on people he described as 'local dalals and India-loving intellectuals' who were playing a devious game to derail the outfit's freedom movement. He said that these people were trying to put pressure on the jailed ULFA leaders to sit for talks by citing 'false aspirations of the people'. He added, "However, we are sure that our jailed leaders will not forget the sacrifices made by thousands of youths for the sake of the freedom movement."

• February 1: The ULFA started moving some of their camps in Myanmar deep into the dense forest areas, apprehending a crackdown. This revelation came following February 1 surrender of a ULFA militant Akash Bora before the Inspector General of Border Security Force (BSF) at Shillong in Meghalaya. Security sources said that from the revelations made by Akash, it was clear that the ULFA is still recruiting new boys and new recruits in small batches are still sent to the camps in Myanmar for training. The ULFA has four major camps in Myanmar where around 150 to 200 cadres are staying. Sources quoting Akash said that life is tough for the militants in Myanmar because of the terrain, and the recent arrest of ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa and other senior leaders frustrated and demoralised the cadres. Sources further added that the camps of the ULFA in Myanmar are run mainly by ULFA 'central committee member' Jiban Moran and hardcore militant Bijoy Chinese. Akash revealed that some senior ULFA cadres are maintaining links with some Army officials of Myanmar.

  One militant belonging to '28th battalion' of the ULFA, identified as 'sergeant' Ranjit alias Akash Bora, surrendered before the Border Security Force (BSF) at Shillong in Meghalaya. He deposited one AK-56 rifle and its two magazines besides, 140 bullets. He claimed that ULFA cadres were getting arms training in the four camps in Myanmar. He said, ''The morale of the ULFA cadres in the Myanmar camp has not been affected, knowing Paresh Baruah is still around and supporting the cause of the outfit.''

  The Centre is ready for a dialogue with the pro-talks groups of both ULFA and the NDFB even without their top leaders Paresh Barua and Ranjan Daimary. Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said, "Our offer to talk to ULFA remains. But we have not yet got an offer to talk from those who have been apprehended. Paresh Barua is not with us. We do not think he is in India. Just because Paresh Barua is out of the country it does not mean that talks can be avoided indefinitely." Chidambaram, however, said that the Centre was also willing to talk to the NDFB without its 'chairman' Ranjan Daimary.

  The ULFA said that it would discuss the offer made by Home Minister P. Chidambaram for peace talks with the jailed rebel leadership. Jailed ULFA 'vice-chairman' Pradeep Gogoi said, "We shall have to discuss the matter and I, alone, cannot make any comment on the Home Minister's offer. There has to be a conducive climate for talks and also a lot would depend on the government's sincerity."

• January 29: ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa has said that a decision on a dialogue with the Government would be taken soon, with leaders of the outfit in prison holding marathon discussions on the issue. Mrinal Hazarika, 'commander' of 28th battalion' of the outfit said, "Both sides should not impose any precondition as it may create hurdles in holding dialogue. The agenda for the talks can be finalised at the negotiating table." He also appealed to the Government to release the jailed central ULFA leaders to facilitate early talks. "We want Paresh Barua also to join the peace process but one can't wait for him endlessly. Dialogue must start even if Barua refuses to be a part of the peace process," he added. "Greater autonomy for Assam will solve the problems. It will function like a federating unit where all indigenous groups will have political roles to play," he further added.

• January 27: Two militants belonging to ‘28th battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as David Doley alias Ganesh Kumbang of Dhemaji District and Biraj Sonowal alias Ajit Sonowal of Dhakuakhana were arrested by the SFs at Dhodang Chapari area under Pulibar Police Station of Jorhat District.

• January 25: One militant belonging to the '109^th battalion' of the ULFA, identified as Donjison Rabha, was arrested by the SFs in Krishnai area of Goalpara District. Three IED, two grenades and 20 AK-series ammunition were recovered from the possession of the militant.

  The ULFA in its changed strategy has moved men from '109th and 709th battalions' to Upper Assam to carry out subversive activities around Republic Day. Sources said that a 12-member unit drawn from both the 'battalions' led by bomb expert Hemanta Rajbongshi from Nalbari had entered Upper Assam in early part of January 2010 and had been carrying out surveys to figure out possible targets.

  A ULFA militant, identified as Prithvi Raj Rabha, was arrested by SFs during a search operation in Goalpara District. He was the most wanted bomber of the outfit.

• January 24: Two ULFA militants, identified as Hiteswar Kachari and Maheswar Rabha, were arrested by SFs from Goalpara District.

• January 23: The Police recovered an IED from Lalmati area under Basistha Police Station in Guwahati City. Police, however, failed to arrest the ULFA cadre, identified as Lakhi Das alias Jishu belonging to the '109th battalion' of the outfit. "We have received information about the movement of a few suspected persons in the city, which is why we have put our team on alert to avert any untoward incident," a senior Police official stated.

• January 22: One militant belonging to the '28^th battalion' of the ULFA, identified as Dipak Saikia (33) alias Bhai, was arrested by the Police from Elengmora area under Pulibor Police Station in Jorhat District. Three kilograms of Trinitrotoluene (TNT) explosive was recovered by the Police from the Major Sapori area in Majuli following his confession.

• January 21: Ruling junta of Myanmar assured that it plans to launch co-ordinated operations with India to flush out Northeast militants from its territories and has promised to help track down elusive ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah.

• January 19: One ULFA militant, identified as Santosh Rabha (22), was arrested by the Assam Police at Japorigog area in Kamrup District. One Austrian grenade and a bomb were recovered from his possession. He hails from Nalanga Pahartoli in Goalpara District. However, the Police have collected information about a four to five-member group of ULFA cadres belonging to '109 battalion' of the outfit entering Guwahati with explosives to carry out strikes before January 26. Sources said, "He [Santosh] was operating under directions from self-styled sergeant major of 109 battalion, Dipak Das alias Dipak Rai, and commander Pradip Basumatary. During interrogation, Rabha said there were three more cadres of the '109 battalion' holed up in the city." Sources also added that their biggest worry was there are two more bombs in the city, which are yet to be found. This arrest assumes significance in the light of ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua's threats of attacks ahead of Republic Day.

  ULFA 'vice-president' Pradip Gogoi and 'publicity secretary' Mithinga Daimary filed petitions in the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) Court seeking bail. Legal experts said, "The court can consider the bail plea of the ULFA duo if the State Government is convinced that they will not jump parole and not destroy evidence of cases against them."

  The ULFA stated that autonomy would divide the State. In its mouthpiece Freedom, the outfit criticised the State Government for its alleged failure to punish the "secret killers". The ULFA mouthpiece also said that the outfit would continue to attack the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Army.

• January 18: A surrendered ULFA militant, Kamal Nath, stated that the Congress party was behind the secret killings during the Prafulla Kumar Mahanta regime.

  January 18: The ULFA stated that its jailed leaders would not jump parole, if freed from prison to facilitate peace talks with the Government. "Let me assure the government and the people of Assam that if released on parole we shall never betray the trust... we shall not flee," said jailed ULFA leader Pradeep Gogoi. He responded following reports that the Assam Government was contemplating granting parole to at least eight top jailed ULFA leaders to facilitate peace talks, but the Centre is apprehensive that the militant leaders might jump parole and go underground. He further added, "Let the people of Assam and the government first take us into confidence... we are not going to break that trust."

• January 17: Dead body of a businessman, identified as Prabhu Choudhury, was recovered from Mohgaon village in Pengeri Police Station of Tinsukia District. He was reportedly abducted by suspected ULFA militants with the help of a surrendered militant, Dilon Duara, from Kakopathar on October 28, 2009.

• January 16: The Assam Police arrested a ULFA militant, identified as Pradip Kalita, from Woodland Hospital in Shillong. Pradip Kalita was suspected to be a member of the '27th battalion' of the ULFA.

• January 15: The Army arrested four suspected ULFA militants from Surya Pahar under Naranarayan River Police Station of Goalpara District. A pistol, a revolver and two hand grenades were recovered from their possession.

  Telegraph reports that Tinsukia District Police registered at least six cases of abduction and extortion against a group formed by surrendered ULFA militants and a gang of insurgents who managed to escape from the outfit's designated camps. A Police Official said these cadres, armed with sophisticated weapons, had teamed up with a few surrendered militants and was operating in Upper Assam, especially in Tinsukia. At least five ULFA cadres, who managed to escape from the designated camps in Upper Assam, are part of this new group.

  Telegraph quoting SF sources reports that China's own political exigency in Myanmar was the factor responsible for ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua finding a safe haven along the China-Myanmar border. Sources said Barua had been traced to Ruili in Yunan province of China bordering Myanmar. "Most of the arms deals are struck at Ruili and from there the Chinese arms are brought to Bamo in Myanmar, from where they are routed to different places mostly through the Irrawaddy and its tributaries. ULFA and other militant outfits of the northeast also bring their arms and ammunition through this route," sources said. "Since the Myanmar junta and these rebel groups are in ceasefire, the Indian insurgent outfits like National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K), ULFA, and Meitei groups of Manipur have found safe haven in the areas under control of the Kachin and Wa rebels [Myanmar]," added sources. Sources further mentioned that after the Bangladesh Government had stepped up action against the ULFA, Barua shifted base to the China Sino-Myanmar border and also set up camp in rebel-administered areas in Myanmar's Kachin.

• January 13: One militant belonging to ceasefire-group of the ULFA, identified as Dilon Dowerah, and one Army trooper, Havaldar Dayal Singh, were killed in an encounter at Talpathar village under Pengeri Police Station in Tinsukia District. The Army, however, said that another member of the gang might be injured in the encounter. Superintendent of Police of Tinsukia District Diganta Bora said that ULFA cadre Dilon, who hailed from Mutapung in Tinsukia, had formally laid down weapons on December 28, 2007. After two ULFA cadres, Akon Moran alias Ajit Moran, and Biplob Baruah alias Pinku Phukon, managed to escape from the Kakopathar-based designated camp belonging to ceasefire-group of the outfit on July 23, 2009, the trio teamed up to form a gang which extorted and abducted in the name of ULFA. AK-56 rifles, some live ammunition, a magazine, a cellular phone, some incriminating documents including ULFA extortion notes, were recovered from the incident site.

• January 12: Assam Tribune quoting security sources reports that the links between the ULFA and Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) is a well established fact and the ULFA is still receiving help from ISI. Sources added that the militant groups, including the ULFA, are still receiving explosives, including RDX, from the ISI. The report adds that ULFA still has a good quantity of ISI introduced Programmable Time Devices (PTDs) and PTD switches.

  Prime Minister Manmohan Singh referring to issues related to the talks with the ULFA, said that the Government does not intends to humiliate anyone, but wanted to restore peace in Assam. He said, "Though we tried to bring them to the negotiation table in 2006, they (ULFA) backed out. I hope this time good reason prevails. If Assam becomes peaceful, nothing can stop it from making rapid progress as the state has tremendous potential in all spheres. We are also in touch with our neighbors so that insurgents from the North-East do not get shelter in their territories."

• January 10: Two suspected ULFA militants were killed in an encounter with the SFs at Na-Kuchi under Khetri Police Station in the Kamrup (urban) District. One 9 mm pistol, a hand grenade, two magazines and six rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the possession of the slain militants. The suspected ULFA militants were believed to be led by 'self-styled sergeant major' Jayanta Kalita alias Jintu. Kalita, a top 'commander' of the 109th battalion' of the ULFA operating in Western Assam, was reportedly escaped towards the jungles of Meghalaya border.

• January 8: A senior leader of the ULFA, identified as Bhim Kanta Buraguhain alias Mama, was produced in Tezpur court.

  Assam Rifles (AR) Director General Lieutenant-General K. S. Yadava, addressing the 175th anniversary of the AR said, "United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) was raised in Assam on the slogan of `Assam for Assamese'. But it's no longer what it was. My personal perception is that 50% of the lower cadre of ULFA is from across the border''. He added that the `hardcore cadre' of ULFA was now down to just about 200 or so.

  Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, "Some positive signals are there that they are willing to hold discussions with us. We are expecting something in writing from ULFA."

  Bangladesh Local Government Ashraful Islam said that former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had a secret meeting with jailed ULFA leader Anup Chetia during a visit when the then Premier Khaleda Zia belonging to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was in power. He said "Pervez Musharraf [former Pakistan President] came to Dhaka ... When the ULFA leader was detained in the (Dhaka Central) jail, from where he was brought to the Sheraton Hotel".

• January 7: Assam Police described ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua’s threats as nothing but old wine in new bottle while asserting that Security Forces (SFs) were on high alert and prepared for any challenge. Reacting to the threats, Assam Director-General of Police Shankar Barua said "Threats from ULFA are always there and there is nothing new in his statement." He, however, said that SFs were placed on high alert to foil any bid by ULFA to carry out strikes ahead of Republic Day.

  The ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah, who joined Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) as a porter in 1978 and went underground a few months later, was sacked by the Indian Railways. Having conducted an inquiry into Baruah’s absence from work for over 30 years, the NFR issued instructions to strike Baruah’s name off the Railways’ rolls. A senior NFR official said, "An order stating Baruah’s removal from service has been issued on Thursday [January 7]. It has been put up on the notice board at the Tinsukia railway station."

• January 6: The ULFA threatened to attack Security Forces (SFs) and vital installations in Assam ahead of the Republic Day celebration on January 26. "We are going to step up our offensive and target security forces and other vital installations," self-styled ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah said in an e-mailed statement. Titled ‘new guidelines and instructions’, the rebel statement also warned of action against Assam Police personnel and ‘informers’. "We are not going to spare those who act as informers to pass on inputs to the security forces," the ULFA leader said. The rebel statement also threatened action against ‘intellectuals’ who are anti-ULFA. "We shall identify the intellectuals and first warn them and then take action on such people," the statement said.

• January 4: Bangladeshi High Commissioner to India, Tariq A. Karim, in a recent letter to Bangladesh Government, said a possible backlash from ULFA and religious extremists in Bangladesh has made the mission’s compound in New Delhi extremely vulnerable. "These developments have meant that the High Commission and its personnel have become extremely vulnerable as targets for retaliatory attacks in India aimed at humiliating the government of Bangladesh," the letter stated.

• January 1: A ULFA linkman, Sanjay Sarkar, is arrested by the Kokrajhar District Police and Army from North Rangapara village under Fakiragram Police Station. Explosives are recovered from his possession.

2009

• December 31: The Army recovers 2.5 kilograms of Improvised Explosive Device (IED), suspected to be planted by the ULFA cadres, at Khumdi village in Nalbari District. The explosive is subsequently defused. The Police arrest Jiten Basumatary, a gram panchayat (village level local self-Government institution) member, in whose house suspected ULFA cadres had hidden the bomb before it was put inside a plastic bag.

  The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said, "Militancy is indeed continuing in Assam and Manipur and I do not deny it." Stating that two-three top leaders of the ULFA were still out of the reach of the Security Forces, he said, "I am confident that there will be good news in days to come as far as these two-three leaders are concerned…Two more ULFA leaders Arabinda Rajkhowa and Raju Barua were apprehended on the India-Bangladesh border and subsequently arrested by the Assam Police on December 4." The Minister said, "We will talk to them if they drop the demands for sovereignty and abjure violence." The report adds that Chidambaram has so far been maintaining that ULFA needed to drop the demand for sovereignty, abjure violence and surrender weapons.

  The Government will consider providing safe passage to the ULFA cadres if their jailed leaders agree to start a dialogue. "If they agree to hold discussions with the government, we will consider allowing safe passage. This has been decided," a source said, adding, there has, however, to be a formal communication from the leadership. "They must write stating they are willing and ready for talks," the source said. "They have to come home by shunning the path of violence," the source mentioned.

• December 30: Telegraph reports that the ‘general council meeting’ of the ULFA would be held at Central Jail in Guwahati to discuss the issue of holding talks with the Government. Highly placed sources said that Bhimkanta Buragohain, political adviser to ULFA, would be transferred to Central Jail after his next hearing in Tezpur court on January 8, 2010 to satisfy ‘norms of a minimum of eight central committee members being present at the meeting’. Buragohain is currently in Tezpur jail. The report adds that the ‘16-member central committee’ of the ULFA can hold its ‘general council meeting’ with half its members. At present, seven leaders of the ‘central committee’, including ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa, are in the jail in here. As such it was necessary for Buragohain to be present at the meeting to make it valid according to the ‘organization’s rules’. "We cannot say whether the outcome of the meeting would be positive vis à vis the talks, but the fact that there would be a meeting is a good beginning and, who knows, there may be some good news during the festive occasion," a source said. Apart from Rajkhowa, Central Jail currently houses ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Barua, ‘foreign secretary’ Sasha Choudhury, ‘finance secretary’ Chitrabon Hazarika, ‘vice-president’ Pradip Gogoi, ‘publicity secretary’ Mithinga Daimary and ‘cultural secretary’ Pranati Deka, wife of Chitrabon. Sources said a few ‘members of the central committee’ were not willing to hold such a meeting without ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua but with people asking for talks to begin, the leaders have decided to go ahead without him.

• December 29: Indian Express reports that the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) recently began an inquiry after discovering ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah figured in its employee rolls. "Two hearings were conducted on December 4 and December 20. Nobody came forward to either claim this job or offer a representation on behalf of Baruah," said a senior NFR official. The report adds that almost three decades after Baruah last reported for his porter’s job in the Indian Railways, where he has continued to be ‘employed’ despite neither coming to work nor drawing a salary. ,

  Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said the Government has already initiated a peace process with the ULFA, and expressed his hope that the peace process with the outfit would make a stride in 2010.

• December 28: An ULFA linkman was arrested by the Police at Baihata area in Kamrup (rural) District. Two 9-mm pistols with ten rounds of cartridges are recovered from his possession.

  The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa’s bodyguard Raja Bora alias Polash Phukan was produced before the Special Court of Judicial Magistrate in Dibrugarh on December 26 and was sent to Police remand for seven days.

  The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that there will be no discussion on the sovereignty issue during peace talks with the ULFA, according to Shillong Times. "There will be no discussion on the sovereignty issue when the peace talks are held with the ULFA. One thing is clear: there will be no compromise on sovereignty," said Gogoi, adding, "the process for (initiating) the talkshas almost started but I don't say that much progress has been made or any breakthrough achieved. Attempts are being made...let's hope for the best."

• December 27: A suspected ULFA linkman, Diganta Bora, is arrested by the Police from Murpholoni in Golaghat District. Incriminating documents are recovered from his possession.

• December 26: The Director General of Assam Police G. M. Srivastava said that though the ULFA is not yet finished, it will not be the same organization after the arrests of its senior leaders. He pointed out that though the incidents of violence are the visible impacts of a militant group, no organization can run only through acts of violence. "There are several other aspects of running a militant outfit effectively including maintaining international contacts and managing other aspects of the outfit and it will not be possible for Paresh Baruah alone to do that. The arrested top leaders of the outfit were key members of the ULFA and it will be difficult for the ULFA to run the outfit without them. For example, some of the arrested leaders were responsible for maintaining international contacts and without them the outfit will lose such contacts," he added. Srivastava further said that if majority of the ULFA leaders finally decide to come forward for talks, the people of Assam would make Paresh Baruah redundant.

  The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa and ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Barua are sent to judicial custody after 21 days in Police custody. The remand order is given by the Chief Judicial Magistrate Robin Phukan, who heard the case at a camp court inside the Central Jail in Guwahati.

  A cadre belonging to ‘709th battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as Dharmendra Kalita, is arrested by a joint team of the Police and CRPF near the Guwahati refinery along with RDX and ball bearings, which are used as splinters in bombs. Kalita belonged to Nalbari District of lower Assam. "He was walking along the railway tracks near the Sector 3 area of the refinery complex. When he was asked to stop, he tried to flee but was captured," a Police Officer said. Sources said Kalita had revealed during interrogation that several ULFA cadres from the lower Assam Districts had entered the State capital recently to carry out the strikes. "We, too, had some unsubstantiated inputs about Ulfa plans to carry out strikes at vital installations in the state, especially in the capital city, but Kalita has now corroborated it. We have now taken a re-look and tightened security around these areas," the Police Officer said. He said Kalita was a bomb expert and knows how to make an IED. "He had all the ingredients required to prepare the IED with him. We are expecting to get more specific information from him about the other cadres who have entered the city," he said. The Police said ULFA cadres in lower Assam were still active and preparing to carry out strikes. "Several active cadres of the outfit from lower Assam are taking shelter on the outskirts of the city and are looking for opportunities to enter the city to strike," another Police Officer said. Police sources recently revealed that they have information about ULFA cadres from lower Assam Districts setting up a base again inside Bhutanese territory near Barpathar village in Assam’s Chirang District. Sources added that two top leaders of the 709th ‘battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as self-styled ‘second lieutenant’ Baba Rabha and ‘sergeant major’ Kushal Das, are manning the camp that has over 100 cadres, most of them new recruits.

• December 23: The ULFA ‘foreign secretary’ Sashadhar Choudhury and ‘finance secretary’ Chitraban Hazarika are reproduced before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Kamrup and were sent to another 14 days of judicial custody in connection with the Bharalumukh Police Station case.

  A ULFA militant, Jatin Shaw alias Alput Thapa (25), surrenders and deposits his 9-mm pistol and one magazine before the Inspector General of the Border Security Force (Assam-Meghalaya frontier) Prithvi Raj at Shillong in Meghalaya. Jatin belongs to Golaghat in Assam and joined the ‘B company’ of the outfit in 2003 and underwent training at the ‘first battalion Naga camp’ in Myanmar. He is also involved in many killing and extortions cases in Assam. The surrendered militant worked as the ‘personal security officer’ of ‘commander of B company’ Sujeet Mohan. Jatin reportedly came over ground at the calling of his mother. He said, "I decided to leave the outfit after my mother asked me to do so". He also stated that National Socialist Council of Nagaland and ULFA are operating collectively in the forests of Myanmar, adding 20-25 cadres from Arunachal Pradesh were also undergoing training at different camps of the neighbouring country. Prithvi Raj expresses concern over the move by Northeast militants to shift base from Bangladesh to Myanmar in the wake of the ongoing operations against them by Dhaka. Admitting that there was an exodus of ULFA militants to Myanmar to escape the ongoing operations by the Bangladeshi Security Forces, Prithvi Raj said, "It is quite natural that the militants look for new pastures to continue their future activities."

• December 22: The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, turning down the demand for sovereignty, asks the ULFA and UNLF to give up violence and hold talks. He said that the Union Government was willing to look at 'new governing structures' to take care of the development agenda of the Northeast. "A couple of groups like the ULFA and the UNLF are still carrying out violent activities. To them we say, give up the demand for sovereignty. Give up violence and we can talk of anything," the Union Minister said at the valedictory session of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) leadership summit in Kolkata. Stating that the Constitution was resilient and innovative, and accommodated the concerns of the people of smaller states, he said, "If new innovations for governing structures are required, we are willing to look at it. The Constitution has provided for hill development councils, semi-autonomy, and some schedules to address the concerns of the people of the smaller states. We can have more schedules as long as it takes care of the development agenda."

• December 19: Police said that surrendered ULFA cadres were involved in the December 18 robbery at a branch of the United Bank of India at Dirok in Margherita of Tinsukia District. "We have identified a few members of the gang. At least three of them are surrendered ULFA militants," a senior Police official involved in the investigations said. He, however, did not name them, saying the time was "not right" yet.

• December 17: The highly placed security sources said that the ULFA leaders, including the ‘chairman’, did not divulge the name of any political leader who paid money to the outfit. Sources mentioned that the ULFA was involved in selling arms and ammunition to different militant groups of the region, including ATTF, NLFT, KLNLF, etc. The outfit, over the years, managed to establish very good contacts with the clandestine arms dealers of South East Asian countries and also received Programmable Time Device (PTD) switches from Pakistan. The outfit still has a good stock of PTD switches and the potential to trigger off explosions, sources said. However, seizures of a large number of weapons of the ULFA in 2004 and 2007 in Bangladesh severely affected the outfit, sources added.

  A surrendered ULFA cadre, Ratul Pathak, is shot at and wounded by unidentified militants at Gobardhana Chariali in Barpeta District.

  The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate in Guwahati, Robin Phukan, remands ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa, ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Barua and Rajkhowa’s bodyguard Raja Bora, to nine days of Police custody in connection with three blast-related cases registered at Paltan Bazar, Bharalumukh and Bhangagarh Police Stations.

  The arrested leaders of the ULFA confess that the outfit received "benefits" from political parties mostly in forms of money, particularly during elections.

  Bhutan said it has no information about ULFA running any camp in its territory but would take "positive steps" only if India communicated to it on this issue.

  Police said that surrendered ULFA cadres were involved in the December 18 robbery at a branch of the United Bank of India at Dirok in Margherita of Tinsukia District. "We have identified a few members of the gang. At least three of them are surrendered ULFA militants," a senior Police official involved in the investigations said. He, however, did not name them, saying the time was "not right" yet.

• December 16: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi rules out the possibility of halting army operations targeting the ULFA outfit.

• December 14: Meghalaya Police conducts counter-insurgency operations in the East Garo Hills region to flush out ULFA militants who have entered in large numbers to escape ongoing flush-out operations in neighbouring State of Assam. The area is idle for militants to use as a corridor to cross over to and fro Bangladesh and for concealment of weapons in view of the thick forest cover with an inaccessible terrain. Meghalaya Director General of Police S. B. Kakati said Garo Hills had previously been used by Assam-based militants as a safe haven. "I don't deny the fact that it is even now being used by militants and we are on the lookout for them," he said. According to Kakati, the area of concern is Resubelpara sub-division sharing border with Assam's Goalpara District. He said ‘109th battalion’ of the ULFA led by its ‘commander’ Hira Sarania was active in lower Assam and thereby used the route for transport of men and arms. "Resubelpara sub-division is infested by ULFA and even now operations are taking place to flush them out. There have been instances of arrest, seizure of weapons and neutralizing of militants," he said and added that identification of militants is a problem for the Police.

• December 14: The ULFA’s pro-talk faction led by Mrinal Hazarika reacted sharply to the December 13 public apology made by ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah for the Dhemaji bomb blast on August 15, 2004 and termed the apology a ‘drama’.

  The Special Operation Unit of Assam Police submits the case diary pertaining to the January 1 bomb blast in Bhangagarh and Paltan Bazar to the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Kamrup District, according to Assam Tribune. The ULFA ‘foreign secretary’ Sasha Choudhury and ‘finance secretary’ Chitraban Hazarika are accused in the blasts.

• December 13: The ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua apologises to the people of Assam for the bomb blast at Dhemaji on August 15, 2004, killing 17 persons, including 16 school children. Barua, however, blames some of the former cadres of the outfit for the blast and says they had misled the top ULFA leadership by saying it was done by the Government machinery to defame ULFA in the eyes of the people of Assam.

  The former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta accuses Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi of "telling lies" over the "secret killings" issue. Gogoi, according to him, had learnt to "tell lies", as none of the commissions of inquiries constituted to probe the "secret killings" were able to find the "non-existent proof". "Will the chief minister pursue the widely published statement made by Ulfa finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika that his ministers and officials had paid to Ulfa so that the truth is placed before the people of the state? The ministers are said to have paid Ulfa for helping the ruling Congress on various occasions," he adds.

• December 11: The ULFA asks the Union Government for a plebiscite in Assam. "Talks, if any, have to be on the issue of Assam's independence or sovereignty. If the government cannot hold talks on the issue of sovereignty or independence, let there be a plebiscite on the issue," ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah said in an emailed statement to the local media in Guwahati.

• December 10: The arrested ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa and ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Barua said during interrogation that family members of the outfit’ s ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua are still holed up in Bangladesh along with the family members of Anup Chetia, another jailed ULFA leader.

  Surrendered ULFA cadres kill six persons at Singirmari in Nagaon District. Subsequently, several hundred women along with the villagers of Rajagaon launch a search operation to locate the culprits on the next day.

• December 9: The arrested ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa and ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Baruah completely rule out any possibility of negotiation with the Government without outfit’s ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah before the Police and the Government officials during interrogation. "Sovereignty or no sovereignty, peace talks would reap benefits only when the C-in-C comes forward for talks," Rajkhowa is said to have told the interrogators.

  Militant outfits in the Northeast— the Manipur People’s Liberation Front, National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), Tripura People’s Democratic Front, and anti-talk faction of the NDFB —said the people of the region engaged in "liberation struggle" felt "betrayed" by Bangladesh’s handing over of ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa and other leaders to India.

  The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said in Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) that talks with the insurgent groups in the Northeast could be held only if they laid down arms. Chidambaram said, "Our stand is clear. Lay down arms, give up demands for sovereignty and talks can be held... My appeal is common to all insurgent groups (in the northeast). Give up demands for sovereignty and lay down your arms. This will open the way for talks." Reminding the House that he had last week hoped that the ULFA would make a political statement offering talks with the Government, the Home Minister said, "No, such offer has not come. If they make an offer, we will talk." He added, "If there is an offer for talks, these will be conducted with due dignity."

• December 8: Two Myanmar-trained ULFA cadres surrender before Lakhimpur District authorities. They are identified as Debashish Bhuyan alias Bipul and Bubul Chowdung. They deposit a 9-mm pistol and .30 pistol at the time of surrender.

• December 6: The Union Government said it is ready to hold peace talks with ULFA. The Government, however, ruled out any discussion on the basis of a demand voiced by a section of the banned militant outfit for "sovereignty" of Assam. Sources said the ULFA was speaking in different voices on the prospect of talks with the Centre. There is no question of any discussion on the basis of "sovereignty" for Assam, the sources said. Meanwhile, Paresh Baruah, ‘commander-in-chief’ of ULFA, on December 5 said that there was no confusion in the minds of the ULFA cadres who want "sovereignty" for Assam to be discussed in any dialogue, while denying a split in the outfit.

  The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi asked all militant groups of the State, including the ULFA, to come forward for peace talks with the Government.

• December 5: Two ULFA militants, identified as Angshuman Bora alias Sabin Buragohain, ‘self-styled sergeant major’ of the ‘28th battalion’ and Rinku Baruah alias Bitupan Baruah, ‘lance corporal’ of the same battalion, surrendered before the Army personnel at Thakurbari Army Camp in Sonitpur District.

• December 4: The ‘chairman’ of the ULFA, Arabinda Rajkhowa alias Rajiv Rajkonwar and ‘Deputy Commander-in-Chief’ of the outfit, Raju Baruah, were handed over to the BSF near Dawki sector of the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya in the morning along with their family members. Official sources said that they were handed over to the Assam Police later. A team of the Assam Police brought them to Guwahati and they have been kept in the Assam Police’s Special Branch headquarters at Kahilipara area of Guwahati.

  The official sources in BSF said that Rajkhowa, his wife Kaberi Kachari and two children, Raju Baruah, his wife and a child, wife and two children of ULFA Foreign Secretary Sasha Choudhury and one Raja Bora, who was the bodyguard of Rajkhowa, surrendered to the BSF and were handed over to the Assam Police. Sources said that the ULFA members and their family members looked tired when they were brought to the city and "it seemed that they had to travel a long way", an official added. Security sources said that the ULFA chairman may face as many as nine cases under different sections of the IPC and the Arms Act as well as Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for waging war against the nation. He has specific cases against him in Jagiroad and Sivasagar. Raju Baruah has two cases lodged against him and the possibility of the police tracing out other cases against him during the course of investigations cannot be ruled out. Sources said that the wives of Rajkhowa and Sasha Choudhury were members of the ULFA and they are likely to face trial. However, it is yet to be ascertained whether Raju Baruah’s wife was a member of the militant outfit. Police sources informed that top security officials, including officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, questioned the arrested rebel leaders. The militant leaders are expected to be produced tomorrow.

  It was reported in Assam Tribune that both the leaders were handed over to BSF personnel somewhere in Tripura sector and flown in an Indian Air Force aircraft from Agartala to a defence airfield and was taken to an ITBP camp.

  Hira Saraniya, the ‘leader’ of the outfit’s 709th battalion said that the arrested leaders of ULFA were keen for peace talk and a breakthrough can be expected in the next few days. Official sources have claimed that all the four ULFA battalions, following the arrest of ULFA chairman and deputy commander Raju Baruah among others, are said to have shown keenness in pursuing the peace talks route, provided the Union Government agrees to entertain their charter of demands, which may not feature the demand of sovereignty. This comes at a time when the ‘Commander-in-Chief’ Paresh Baruah, through a press release, had asked the arrested ULFA leaders, particularly chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, not compromise on the sovereignty issue. Official sources, however, have not ruled out the possibility of Paresh Baruah coming for talks, stating that the commanders of a couple of battalions are expected to convey the message to the ‘C-in-C’ and prepare the charter of demands accordingly.

  Paresh Baruah, ‘Commander-in-Chief’, asked the chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa to clarify his stand on the issue of talks with the Government of India. In a statement e-mailed to the media, Baruah said that he had come to know about the fact that Rajkhowa along with the Military Spokesman of the outfit Raju Baruah and Sergeant Raja Gogoi were in the custody of the Indian Security Forces since December 2. He said that the Government of India would like to take advantage of the situation by forcing them to participate in the "so called talks" with the Government. The media reports in the last couple of days also indicated that the Government was trying to start "so called talks" with the arrested ULFA leaders. Baruah called upon the ULFA chairman to remember the demands and ideology of the ULFA and the supreme sacrifices of more than 12,000 ULFA members. He appealed to the ULFA chairman not to fall into the trap of the Government of India to take part in "so called talks" and asked him to clarify his position regarding talks.

  The Union Government said ULFA leaders, who surrendered, will have to face judicial process as several cases were pending against them and talks with the militant outfit will take place in "due course". "(Arabinda) Rajkhowa and Raju Baruah have surrendered and then they were arrested. They are now in Guwahati. They will be produced in a court," Union Home Secretary G. K. Pillai told to reporters when asked about the fate of the ULFA leaders, who surrendered along the Indo-Bangla border in Meghalaya. "They have just come. Everything will take place in due course. Wait for that," he said. Asked about the fate of the family members of Rajkhowa and others, Pillai said as no cases were pending against the family members, they were free to go. "Families are free," he added.

  Sentinel quoting an unnamed top Government official reports that the elusive ‘commander-in-chief’ of ULFA Paresh Baruah is hiding in Kachin area of Myanmar, bordering China, and under the full grip of anti-India forces like ISI of Pakistan. Baruah, who has been against holding any peace dialogue with the Government, has fled from his hideout in Bangladesh some time ago. "He is now in Kachin area of Myanmar," the official said. Several militant outfits in the Northeast have training camps and bases in Kachin, which borders China’s Yunnan province, which Baruah visits regularly.

• December 3: Unidentified militants shot dead one Nazrul Ali, the driver of pro-talks ULFA ‘leader’ Russel Maradona, at Citnipara in Nalbari District.

  Three prominent jailed ULFA leaders — ‘vice-chairman’ Pradip Gogoi, former ‘publicity secretary’ Mithinga Daimary and ‘cultural secretary’ Pranati Deka — said that there is a bleak future of peace talks if Rajkhowa takes such a move sidelining Paresh Baruah and violating ULFA’s constitution. The three ULFA leaders were produced in the court in Guwahati. Talking to reporters, Mithinga Daimary said: "Arabinda Rajkhowa alone can’t drop the sovereignty demand that is in the constitution of the ULFA, and as such, he has no right to go for peace talks without Paresh Baruah. If he holds peace talks with the Government of India without Paresh Baruah and dropping the demand for sovereignty, the jailed ULFA leaders won’t be with him. Talks should be on sovereignty of Assam, and whether the demand is met or not is a different matter. If Paresh Baruah gives his nod to peace talks, the peace process may go on the right track." On the reported arrest of Arabinda Rajkhowa, he said the Government does not want any peace talks with the ULFA. "An arrested Rajkhowa can’t do anything towards peace talks what a free Rajkhowa can," he added.

  The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi indicated that the much-awaited peace talks with the ULFA might be held even without the presence of the banned outfit’s still elusive ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah. "I have all along been convinced that the problem of insurgency has to arrive at some sort of political solution…If Paresh Baruah comes that is well and good but my personal view is that a dialogue can begin without him. This is also the desire of the people of Assam who favour a peaceful solution of insurgency," Gogoi said at a press conference.

  The mother of ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua, Miliki Barua (84), said if the proposed peace process was initiated without her son then the whole exercise would be "useless". She said, "All the boys (the ULFA leadership) had set out together on a journey to achieve something for Assam and if negotiations are held without my son then the whole process will be useless". "If the Government has the capacity, then it should bring all of them (ULFA leaders hiding in other countries) back. All the boys went together to realise a common goal, then why is the Government bringing back some and leaving out the others?" she questioned. However, she said that she was confident that her son would return if the Government’s intention on the peace process was explained to him and he was convinced.

  Paresh Baruah called up a member of the People’s Consultative Group, Hiranya Saikia, asserting that the struggle for sovereignty of Assam would continue even if some members of the outfit have come forward for talks by giving up the demand and ideology of the ULFA. When contacted, Saikia confirmed the phone call and said that the ULFA ‘commander -in-chief’ was very assertive. "He said that if any member of the outfit gives up the demand for sovereignty and come for talks with the Government they are free to do so. He also asserted that he would not give up the demand and ideology of the outfit and is ready to continue the struggle for which more than 11,000 youths laid down their lives," Saikia said.

  The opposition AGP party made an appeal to both the Government and ULFA to settle the contentious issues through negotiation. In a statement in Guwahati, the chief spokesman of the party, Atul Bora, said that none of the parties should slap any condition for the negotiation. Moreover, he said that the Governments in the State and at the Union should involve all leaders of the militant group in the negotiation. In the name of negotiation, the people of the State should not be deceived again, said Bora. Blaming the Tarun Gogoi-led Government’s nine-year term for the present volatile situation, said that the restoration of peace is the only solution to it. The Government should not go on reckless killing of youths in the name of containing insurgency. It should go for political solution of the insurgency problem, he added further.

• December 2: The Army released photographs of ULFA two cadres, who had carried out the November 22 Nalbari twin blasts claiming nine lives. Both the cadres, Mohan alias Mahesh Rajbongshi and Hemanto Rajbongshi, belonged to the ‘709th battalion’ of the ULFA, a press statement issued by Army said.

  The ‘chairman’ of the ULFA Arabinda Rajkhowa and ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Baruah were arrested in Dhaka. Both the ULFA leaders are likely to be handed over to India, highly placed official sources said. The sources said that Rajkhowa, whose movements were under scanner of the Security Forces of Bangladesh since September 2009, was picked up from a house in the suburbs of Dhaka city along with a few of his associates. Sources said that the Government of Bangladesh already intimated India about the detention of Rajkhowa and he is likely to be handed over to India. Bangladesh has not registered any case against Rajkhowa and he will be handed over to India as a part of the assurance to hand over militant leaders of India taking shelter in Bangladesh for years. Official sources said that intelligence inputs indicated detention of the ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ of the ULFA Raju Baruah. "The Government of Bangladesh is yet to confirm the detention of Raju Baruah. The Government of Bangladesh only informed India that the ULFA Chairman and a few others were detained. But Indian intelligence agencies managed to obtain reports confirming the detention of Raju Baruah," sources added. The report adds that the ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa will fly to Delhi after he is "pushed back" to Tripura from Bangladesh.

  A high alert has been sounded in Upper Assam Districts following the arrest of Arabinda Rajkhowa. Police have tightened the security in the sensitive areas. A meeting among the Security officials held in Jorhat to review the security scenario and some new strategies were adopted to prevent any kind of militant activities in the area.

  The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) that he would respond within 72 hours if the ULFA decided to hold talks with the Government, reports Sentinel. He was responding to a discussion on the internal security situation in the country. He further said, "I hope that the ULFA leaders will release a political statement on peace talks with the Union Government very soon."

  The detained ULFA ‘leader’ Mithinga Daimary said that Arabinda Rajkhowa alone cannot sit for talks outside the ambit of the outfit’s constitution. He termed Bangladesh’s recent offensive towards the ULFA militants as a ‘betrayal.’

• December 1: Bhim Kanta Buragohain alias Mama, the ULFA idealogue who was arrested during the Bhutan operation, was produced at Tezpur court in Sonitpur District. Buragohain told reporters that he believed that talks with the Indian Government could be held if the arrested leaders of the outfit are unconditionally released.

  The Union Home Minister P Chidambaram clarified that the Union Government is yet to receive any offer from ULFA to come for talks even as the Union Government seems to have softened its stand on the presence of the elusive commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah at the talks. When asked whether the Government of India was willing to sit for negotiations minus Paresh Baruah, he said, "Good, if they come for talks." However, he also reiterated the same preconditions of abjuring violence, surrendering weapons and dropping the demand for sovereignty before coming for dialogue. "However, we have not received any offer so far," he added.

  An ULFA militant, Gobin Ojha alias Kiran Jyoti Gogoi (29) and a KLNLF cadre, Arun Terong alias John Mukran (37), laid down arms before the Inspector-General of the Assam-Meghalaya frontier of the BSF, Prithvi Raj, at a surrender ceremony during the 45th raising day of the Paramilitary Force in Shillong. "Myanmar continues to be a safe haven for the ULFA cadres after the ongoing crackdown on militants by the Bangladeshi security forces," the ULFA cadre revealed. Ojha said three camps of the ‘28th battalion’ of the ULFA were in Myanmar, located adjacent to the camps of the NSCN-K. There were at present 110 ULFA cadres in the three camps and among the prominent leaders housed there include Konkon Gohain, Bijoy Chinese, Myanmar camp ‘commander’ Bijoy Das and Montu Saikia, he said. The militants said that the new cadres had to trek several days to reach the camps set up in a forest area in Myanmar. The ULFA cadre laid down one 7.65mm pistol and 5 rounds of 7.65mm ammunition. The KLNLF militant, Terong, who was the ‘finance commander’ of the outfit, laid down a 9-mm pistol.

• November 30: Reports also mentioned that the ULFA and NSCN-K were conducting joint training for 30 newly recruited ULFA cadres in Mahadevpur, Pongchau and Bordumsa Circles of Lohit, Tirap and Changlang Districts to prepare for a possible Army crackdown in Assam and Nagaland.

• November 29: The suspected ULFA militants threatened a senior journalist of a local satellite news channel in Guwahati, in what was seen as a ‘reaction’ to a talk show telecast in the channel on the insurgency issue in the State. Nitumoni Saikia, executive editor of News Live, was threatened by two armed militants who came on a motor-cycle at Tiniali zoo in the Guwahati city and cautioned him to avoid airing comments on the ULFA. The incident occurred minutes after a talk show, hosted by Sakia, was aired projecting the ULFA in poor light.

• November 27: SFs neutralised a bunker near a bamboo grove in the backyard of Harimal Barman, a resident of Angardhowa Bilpara village in Baganpara area under Borbori Police Station in Baksa District that was frequently used by ULFA militants to draw up plans. The bunker, eight feet deep and six feet wide, accommodates more than five persons. "At least three militants took shelter inside the bunker last night," the Superintendent of Police, Nalbari, Jitmal Doley, said. "The militants take shelter inside it usually at night," a Police officer said, quoting Harimal, who informed the Police about the bunker. Sources said the Police came to know about the bunker from a photograph in a mobile phone found on a militant, Papu Sarania, who was killed in an encounter at Tihu.

  The ULFA ‘leaders’ Sasha Choudhury and Chitraban Hazarika, who were produced before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup for the third time since their arrest, were further remanded to another 10 days’ of Police custody. Though the Assam Police’s SOU sought 18 days Police custody of both the ULFA ‘leaders’ in connection with the January 1, 2009 blasts under Paltan Bazar Police Station and Bhangagarh Police Station, the court, however, limited the custody to another 10 days, advocate Bijon Mahajan informed. The court also directed that both the ULFA leaders would be kept in the SOU headquarters in Kahilipara. It also directed investigating officers from both the Police Stations to question them at the SOU headquarters itself during the course of the Police custody.

• November 26: One ULFA cadre was arrested by Police in the evening from a Tezpur-bound passenger bus near Tezpur Mission Chariali in Sonitpur District. Police sources said that the arrestee was later identified as Rupam Boro alias Ujjal Bora (22) of Debendranagar area under Barghat Police Outpost in Tezpur. During interrogation he confessed that he joined the outfit in 2006 and was a cadre of the 27th Battalion of ULFA.

  Mina Gogoi alias Akoni Gogoi alias Binita Bora, a woman ‘seargent’ of 28th battalion of ULFA, was arrested while four of her associates managed to escape in a joint operation by SFs at Lahdoigarh in Namtola under Sonari Police Station in Sivasagar District near Assam-Nagaland border. She is the wife of Ramen Dadhumiya, ‘area commander’ of the 28th battalion. She later confessed that the outfit had planned to carry out blasts in the Charaideo subdivision of Sivasagar District. A five kilogrammes of IED, a pistol, some photographs and a register containing details of funds collected by the outfit in Charaideo subdivision were recovered from her.

  Police launched a massive search to recover five kilogrammes of RDX which was kept in the house of Krishna Rajbongshi at Goroimari Panigaon in Nalbari District, who had allegedly planted one of the bicycle bombs in Nalbari on November 22. Krishna, who was arrested in the night of November 25, also confessed before Police that there were three more bicycles stuffed with explosives and ready to be detonated. A Police Officer said Krishna did not know about the location of the cycles. "We are trying to find out," he said, adding that Krishna was still being interrogated. Meanwhile, a college lecturer Narayan Thakuria and ULFA linkman Kumud Thakuria were also arrested for their suspected involvement in the twin blasts. "We only found the pit but the explosives which were in it were missing. Probably ULFA removed the RDX after they heard of Krishna’s arrest," the Police Officer said. "Five kilogrammes of RDX can have a devastating impact depending on where and how the explosives are placed," he said.

  The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on November 25 told a delegation of the People’s Committee for Peace Initiatives in Assam (PCPIA) that the Government is ready for talks with the ULFA provided the outfit abjures violence. Chidambaram also told the delegation that the PCPIA should try to persuade the ULFA to come for talks with the Government. The delegation was accompanied by a Parliamentarian belonging to the AGP party, Biren Baishya. The delegation that is in Delhi to lobby for resumption of the dialogue with ULFA has so far met Union Minister of State in PMO Prithviraj Chavan on November 25 to submit a memorandum to restart the peace process stalled since last couple of years. However, the possibility of the Centre heeding to their demands appears remote, with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram expressing his skepticism on the ground that the remaining top leaders are all based abroad and not keen for negotiations. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs is of the opinion that ULFA, currently under pressure because of the crackdown in Bangladesh and arrest of two top leaders, may be at its old game of seeking to buy time by throwing the bait of peace talks.

  The ULFA’s central committee leader Mithinga Daimary, currently lodged in the Guwahati Jail, said that the ULFA was not responsible for the recent bomb blasts at Nalbari, adding that peace talks between the banned outfit and the Union Government was the only way to find a political solution to the conflict.

• November 25: One top ranking ULFA militant, identified as Mohan Roy alias Mama alias Sukumar Kurmi, was shot dead in an encounter with SFs at No. 2 area of Bishnupur in Chirang District around 10.30 AM in the morning. Police sources confirmed that the slain ULFA militant was involved in the recent blasts at Nalbari. He was the ‘second-in-command of the 709th battalion’ of ULFA.

  The Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on November 24 stated in Parliament that the Government was not going to relent in its operations against the ULFA, reports Telegraph. He said, "Owing to the counter-insurgency operations, ULFA has come under tremendous pressure. Its leadership is in disarray. Key ULFA leaders are in prison. Recently, two ULFA leaders surrendered to the Indian SFs. Three ULFA leaders are believed to be abroad and there are reports of serious differences among them. Against this background, it is our assessment that the recent incidents manifest the desperation of the banned ULFA. The State Government and the SFs are determined to intensify the counter-insurgency operations against ULFA and Ranjan Daimary fraction of NDFB."

  The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa said the Minister’s statement was a reflection of the Government’s "colonial" mindset. He mentioned, "Our stand is clear. We will not fall at India’s feet just for the sake of talks." "The minister’s comments only confirm the fact that India does not have the courage to sit across the table on the issue of sovereignty," Rajkhowa said, adding that the outfit was keen on a political settlement with Delhi but not at the cost of its own pride and dignity.

  A senior member of the PCG, Mukul Mahanta, said that the given stand of both the Centre and ULFA, any hope of a "negotiated" settlement had all but evaporated.

• November 24: Sentinel quoting intelligence sources said a group of the ULFA militants comprising 10 cadres, including a woman cadre, has entered Assam through the Assam-Nagaland border and sheltering in its adjoining areas to carry out subversive activities in the District. Sources also said the proscribed militant group has been restructuring itself in five upper Assam districts since last couple of months. Sources said the militant group has been carrying out a new membership drive in upper Assam Districts particularly in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and Sivasagar.

• November 23: A ULFA cadre, Dhanti Dutta, was arrested by the Assam Rifles personnel at Lungwa-Phomching road in Mon District. One 303 rifle along with magazine and 10 live rounds and other incriminating documents were recovered from his possession.

• November 23: The ‘chairman’ of the ULFA, Arabinda Rajkhowa, condemned the blasts in Nalbari town on November 22 and said that the blasts were aimed at derailing the peace process. In a statement sent to the media through e-mail, the ULFA ‘chairman’ said that the blasts were triggered off by the enemies of the indigenous people of Assam. He called upon all concerned, including the militant outfits, to desist from killing innocent people and asked the authorities to pay adequate compensation to the families of those killed.

• November 22: Suspected ULFA militants triggered two powerful bomb blasts barely 50 meters from the Sadar Police Station in Nalbari town, which killed seven people and injured 54 others at around 10 AM in the morning. The IEDs, planted on two bicycles, were kept in front of a tea stall and a saloon which were blown up. The deceased were identified as Paban Thakur, the owner of a nearby saloon, Sikandar Thakur, an employee of the saloon, Dipu Das, a driver, Ganesh Das, a businessman, Keshab Das, an employee of an insurance company and Mahabat Ali, a gaonburah (village head man) of Nalbari town. The Superintendent of Police of Nalbari District, Jitmal Doley, said that ULFA militants are suspected to be behind the blasts.

  The ULFA is responsible for the Nalbari blasts, said Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma in a press meet organised at Silchar Medical College.

  The ULFA denied its involvement in twin bomb blasts in Nalbari. "ULFA is in no way involved in the bomb blasts and it is just a conspiracy by a certain section to derail the talks process," Hira Sarania, the 'commander' of the 709^th Battalion of ULFA, told a news channel. "The allegation is totally motivated and has been made to discredit the organisation. There have been several occasions in the past too when such misinformation had been made against us," Sarania added.

• November 20: The SFs shot dead a ULFA militant, a hitman of the outfit who led the Golaghat train attack, at Padumguri under Jalukbari Police station in Guwahati city. A police official said two suspected militants had got down from a truck on Guwahati bypass (National Highway 37) in the morning and were walking down Binoy Tamuli Path at Padumguri under Jalukbari Police Station when a Police team spotted them and asked them to stop. "They started running while firing at us. One of the militants, who was carrying a backpack, managed to escape under the cover of fog and darkness. But his accomplice was hit by bullets," he added. A 7.65mm bore pistol and three rounds of ammunition were recovered from the site.

• November 19: The ULFA has set up bases in China and other foreign countries with the help of money extorted in the State, two senior ULFA leaders, Chitrabon Hazarika and Sashadhar Choudhury, have reportedly told the Police during interrogation. ULFA 'foreign secretary' Sashadhar Choudhury and 'finance secretary' Chitraban Hazarika, now in Police remand since November 6, 2009, told interrogators that apart from Bangladesh they have bases in China and other foreign countries. "Millions of rupees have been extorted from Assam and transferred to ULFA leaders in Bangladesh, China and other countries where they have established hideouts," the Special Operations Unit (SOU) of Assam Police quoted the two leaders as confessing. Several foreign agencies and NGOs provided logistic assistance to the ULFA leaders in foreign countries. The interrogation report was submitted to the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court in Guwahati. Sashadhar Choudhury and Chitrabon Hazarika also confessed that their 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah is not only procuring arms from Chinese manufacturers but also selling them to militant outfits such as NDFB, NLFT, ATTF and CPI-Maoist.

• November 17: Suspected ULFA militants blew up a petrol-laden train at Changpool in the Golaghat District. The train was bound for the State of Uttar Pradesh from the Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL). A railway spokesperson said that the train with 48 wagons of high-speed diesel and petrol from the NRL caught fire near Changpool. At least 20 wagons went up in flames and a loss of INR 100 million has been estimated, officials said. "We initially thought that the fire broke out after the train jumped the rails. But now we believe that it was because of a powerful explosion on the rail track. We have managed to recover wires and other materials used in triggering blasts from the site," a senior Assam Police official said. At least 10 more wagons were derailed and the petroleum product spilled on to the ground. The area is a stronghold of both the ULFA and AANLA.

• November 15: Former ULFA 'spokesman' Sunil Nath said that a small ULFA team from Assam went to Jaffna in Sri Lanka in the early 1990s when the LTTE controlled the northern peninsula. "We got in touch with the LTTE through a Tamil Nadu politician." Sunil Nath said in a telephonic interview from Assam. According to Sunil Nath, who has since quit the ULFA and is now a journalist, two ULFA militants were picked to spend some time getting training from the LTTE. But the ULFA men returned to India within a week.

  The ULFA leaders, Sashadhar Choudhury and Chitraban Hazarika, claimed that the 'commander-in-chief' of the outfit, Paresh Baruah, was the main person running the group currently. They claimed that Baruah keeps shifting to countries like China, Myanmar and Thailand and he still has strong contacts in China.

• November 12: The 'cultural secretary' of ULFA, Pranati Deka, said that peace talks between the Government and the ULFA are possible if the former wants so. Replying to a reporter's queries when she was being produced in the court in Guwahati in connection with a case against her, Deka said "The ULFA problems can be solved if the Government of India takes steps with due respect to our demands. I believe in peaceful solution to the ULFA problems through talks."

• November 11: 19 militants belonging to the NDFB, KLNLF, AANLA and ULFA surrendered before the Dah Division's headquarter at Dinjan in Dibrugarh District. Speaking on the occasion, Major General B.S. Sachar, the GOC of Dah Division, attributed the large-scale surrender to the peace initiatives of the Government and support from the local people.

• November 10: A group of newly trained ULFA militants have reportedly been asked to enter Assam and launch attacks to avenge the arrest of the outfit's leaders Chitrabon Hazarika and Sasha Choudhury, intelligence sources have revealed, triggering a security alert along the India-Myanmar border. A source said radio intercepts over the last few days suggested that a group comprising about 25 cadres from the 28th battalion had been asked to break up into smaller units to enter Assam. "We believe there could be strikes in retaliation to the arrest of Choudhury and Hazarika to show ULFA is as strong as ever," a source in the Army said. The 28th battalion had recruited about 50-60 cadres in 2008, soon after the Alpha and the Charlie companies of the battalion came over-ground by declaring a unilateral cease-fire. "These cadres have completed training in Myanmar and Nagaland's Mon District and are ready for battle," the unnamed official said.

• November 9: The dawn-to-dusk Assam bandh (shutdown) called by the ULFA passed of peacefully, evoking mixed response. The outfit called the bandh in protest against the arrest of two of its top leaders, Sasha Choudhury and Chitraban Hazarika.

• November 8: Two unidentified ULFA cadres were shot dead by the Police in an encounter at Guardal on the Tihu-Akhara Road in Nalbari District in the evening. Police sources said that two ULFA cadres laid an ambush targeting Nalbari SP Jitmol Doley and fired at the SP and other personnel accompanying him. In the encounter that followed, the two ULFA cadres were shot dead. Two 9 mm pistols were recovered from the possession of the slain militants.

• November 7: Two top ULFA leaders, Sashadhar Choudhury and Chitraban Hazairka, were produced by the Special Operation Unit of the Assam Police in the court of Chief Metropolitan Judicial Magistrate of Kamrup. Although the Police sought 14-day custody of the two, the court remanded them to 10 days, said Bijan Mahajan, senior advocate and counsel for the two ULFA leaders. The ULFA leaders, believed to have been arrested in Dhaka in the midnight of November 1 and handed over to the BSF in Tripura on November 6, were flown in a chartered aircraft to the city and immediately taken away to headquarters of the Special Branch of Assam Police at Kahilipara. However, replying to questions from journalists, Choudhury said they had not surrendered and that Bangladesh Police commandos arrested them. Of the 16 members of the ULFA's central executive committee, four are in a Guwahati jail: 'vice-chairman' Pradip Gogoi, 'adviser' Bhimkanta Buragohain, 'cultural secretary' Pranati Deka, 'central publicity secretary' Mithinga Daimari. Another leader Ramu Mech is on parole.

  The ULFA called for a 12-hour State wide general shutdown from 6 a.m. on November 9 demanding unconditional release of the two arrested leaders. In a statement issued through an e-mail, ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa described the arrest of the two leaders as a "ploy to sabotage the process of finding a political solution to the problem and destroy ULFA militarily."

• November 6: The 'foreign secretary' Sashadhar Choudhury and 'finance secretary' Chitraban Hazarika of ULFA surrendered before the BSF personnel at Gokul Nagar BSF camp, 20 kilometres south of Agartala city, along the India-Bangladesh international border in the Tripura in the night. Bangladesh Security Agencies neutralised some hideouts of leaders of the ULFA in the night of November 1, prompting the cadres to flee. Internal clashes among ULFA cadres are also said to have forced some militants to flee. During interrogation, the ULFA leaders confessed they fled the neighbouring country as they were facing threat to their lives from their colleagues, the official sources said. The internal sources, however, said that the two ULFA leaders were handed over by the BDR to BSF after DGFI personnel picked them up from a safe house in Uttara area of Dhaka following high-level diplomatic intervention by India. As reported on November 5, India had opened diplomatic channels as soon as it was confirmed that the leaders were detained by security agencies in Dhaka on November 1-night. Meanwhile, sources reported that the former KLO 'chief' Jiban Singh, who is presently under the custody of Bangladesh Police, has reportedly informed the Bangladesh security forces about the whereabouts of the ULFA leaders in Bangladesh. Bangladesh authorities had assured India of greater cooperation in the coming months against the anti-India militant outfits based there and also of the possible handing over of top leaders like Ranjan Daimary of the pro-sovereignty faction of NDFB and Biswamohan Debbarma of NLFT. The sudden crackdown by Dhaka is seen as part of a fresh initiative to please India ahead of the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ensuing visit to India.

• November 5: Following confirmation of detention of two top ULFA leaders by Bangladesh, India opened diplomatic channels to get them back into the country. The 'deputy commander-in-chief' of ULFA, Raju Baruah, however, claimed that their two leaders were already handed over to India by Bangladesh. Without naming India, Raju Baruah told a section of media in Assam through e-mail or telephonic talk that Bangladeshi intelligence officials arrested the duo from the Sector 3 area in Dhaka and handed them over to the "enemy". Raju Baruah further said that Bangladesh Police had raided some other areas in Dhaka where, they believed, the ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa was hiding. He also warned Bangladesh that the sovereignty of the country would be at stake if it did not set Sashadhar and Chitraban free. Meanwhile, the Indian Home Ministry officials denied this claim made by the ULFA.

  Suspected ULFA militants shot dead a 13-year-old nephew of a surrendered ULFA (SULFA) cadre, apparently in a case of mistaken identity, in the Balichapori village under Garmurh Police station of Majuli in the Jorhat District in the night. The Police also recovered two empty cartridges of AK-47 rifles from the incident site. Jintu Bora, a Class VIII student of Kathimotia High School, was shot dead when he and his uncle, Dipak Bora, a surrendered ULFA cadre, were about to enter their house at Balichapori village under around 11pm (IST) after returning from Ras festivities. Sources said Dipak was the target of the ULFA militants as he was a Police informer and had played a crucial role in the killing of ULFA militant Amrit Dutta, a key accused in the Sanjoy Ghose murder case. Dutta was killed in an encounter with SFs in Majuli early 2009. Dipak had joined ULFA in 1995 and was a cadre of the Bravo Company of 28th Battalion and later surrendered in 2007.

• November 4: Dulen Saikia, a surrendered ULFA militant, was arrested by the Guwahati City Police on charges of collecting extortion money in the name of the ULFA outfit.

• November 3: Two persons were arrested by the Police when they were trying to extort money in the guise of ULFA cadres in capital Dispur. "The fake ULFA cadres were arrested after a tip-off," Police said.

• November 2: Two suspected ULFA militants were arrested by the Security Force personnel at an unidentified location in the Morigaon District. A 9 mm pistol with six rounds of ammunition and a motorcycle were recovered from the possession of the arrested militants.

• November 1: The 'foreign secretary' Sashadhar Choudhury and 'finance secretary' Chitraban Hazarika of the ULFA were arrested by intelligence officials from the Sector 3 area of Dhaka in the midnight.

• October 29: The Union Government initiated its first round of formal talks with the pro-talks faction of the ULFA. Leaders of the pro-talks faction, Mrinal Hazarika, Jiten Dutta and Prabal Neog, held nearly an hour-long meeting with the Assistant Director of Intelligence Bureau, R.N. Ravi, in Guwahati. "We hope that the talks will lead us to the right direction," Mrinal Hazarika said after the meeting. The pro-talks ULFA faction had earlier announced it was giving up its demand for sovereignty or independence and instead wanted greater autonomy, inner-line permit, total sealing of international border etc for Assam. There were no representatives from the Assam Government in the meeting.

• October 25: The ULFA alleged that the Government of India is not interested in restoration of permanent peace in Assam. In a statement e-mailed to the media, the ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said that the Government of India was adopting different yardstick for talks with different outfits. He said the Government has been demanding that the ULFA should surrender weapons for talks, while, talks with Naga outfits have been going on for years without surrender of arms. Rajkhowa said the Chief Minister of West Bengal even released as many as 23 members of Maoist groups to hold talks with them and the Government of India has been adopting a separate policy only for Assam.

• October 23: A suspected ULFA militant, believed to be on a bombing mission to the Guwahati city, was shot dead in an encounter with Police at Pamohi under Gorchuk Police Station around 2 AM (IST). A 9mm pistol and a polythene bag containing one-and-a-half kilograms of explosive powder, detonators and timers were recovered from the incident site. "On examination, bomb experts said the powder could be TNT. However, we have sent samples to the Forensic Science Laboratory at Kahilipara for confirmation," the Police official said.

• October 22: Five ULFA militants, including a girl, surrendered before the Assam Police in Goalpara District. They were identified as Jayanta Rabha, Machin Rabha, Dulendra Rabha, Durgeswar Rabha and Damayanti Rabha. They deposited an AK-56 rifle and two pistols.

  Two cadres of the 28^th battalion of the ULFA surrendered before the Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner Gyanendra Dev Tripathy in Dibrugarh District. The duo was identified as Sontu Changmai alias Bijoy Bailung and Pranab Duwara alias Simanta Gogoi. They deposited two pistols along with eight rounds live ammunition and a radio set.

• October 20: The Bangladesh Government on October 19 launched a massive hunt for arresting some cadres of two Indian militant outfits — United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), including its ‘chief’ D.K. Roy, according to Sentinel. In the light of information extracted from ‘military commander’ of the ULFA Bimol Roy during his interrogation at the Task Force Interrogation (TFI) cell Security Force personnel are trying to arrest the militants, sources close to the TFI cell said. Bimol confessed that he was an active member of ULFA, the sources said. D.K. Roy, chief of the KLO, provided Bimol with shelter at his Dhaka’s Pallabi residence. D.K. Roy, who is suspected to have stolen the Nobel Prize citation of Rabindranath Tagore from Shanti Niketan in India, has been residing in Bangladesh for many years, the sources added. A team of the Detective Branch arrested Bimol from the Pallabi residence of D. K. Roy on October 6. After the expiry of remand, the Police also took Bimol on a fresh three-day remand on October 8.

• October 19: A cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from Amarpur and Deopani Reserve forests under Sadiya Police Station in Tinsukia District. The cache, hidden in sacks and buried by suspected United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) militants in the forests, include one AK-56 rifle, one SLR, a grenade launcher, four 9-mm pistols, four pen pistols, two grenades, 13 pistol magazines, 35 kilograms of RDX and some currency.

  The Security Forces recovered a letter which shows evidence of the ULFA purchasing arms from the LTTE of Sri Lanka. The letter, written in Assamese, mentioned that the outfit had paid a huge amount of money to the LTTE very recently to purchase arms. "The money was probably paid just before the downfall of the LTTE," a senior army officer said. Although there were unconfirmed reports earlier about ULFA’s links with the LTTE, the letter was the first hard evidence of such links.

• October 18: Five militants, including a woman, of the 28th battalion of the ULFA were arrested. Two militants, hailing from Amguri in the Sibsagar District, were arrested from the Hengerabari area of Guwahati city. In addition, three more militants, including the woman, were arrested from the Gandhibasti area of Guwahati. A 9-mm pistol along with some arms and ammunition were recovered from the possession of the arrested militants. While two of them were identified as a militant couple from Sibsagar, the other one hailed from Sualkuchi near Guwahati.

• October 14: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said the Union Government would hold talks with the ULFA only after it lays down arms and warned that otherwise Security Forces would take appropriate action.

  The Government of Bangladesh has directed the Security Forces to keep vigilance to prevent any kind of subversive activities by the ULFA in the country. State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku told. Referring to the recent crackdown on militants, the minister said no militants would be able to escape the dragnet.

• October 12: The Army personnel arrested one ULFA cadre, identified as Paresh Deka, from Chamatiapara village near Deomornai area in Darrang District.

• October 11: A ULFA militant, identified as Prasanta Bora, was arrested by the Police from New Balighat area of Lakhimpur District. Bora belongs to the 28^th Battalion of the outfit.

• October 7: One ULFA militant was shot dead during an encounter with the Army personnel at Donghap hill under Dokmoka Police Station in Karbi Anglong District at around 4.10am (IST). However, another ULFA militant was managed to escape taking advantage of the dense forest. An Italy-made pistol along with some empty cartridges was recovered from the possession of the slain militant.

• October 3: Three ULFA militants were shot dead by troops during an encounter near Kendubari village in the Nalbari District. "Based on specific intelligence about the presence of three ULFA militants in the area, an army column laid an ambush and there was a firefight in which the militants were shot dead," an Army official said. A carbine, pistols, grenades, detonators and gelatine sticks were recovered from the possession of the slain militants. "Probably the militants were planning to strike during the Durga Puja festival and hence carrying explosives," the official added.

• September 26: Two unidentified militants shot dead a surrendered ULFA cadre, Gunojit Bhorali (30), at Baganpara in Baksa District.

• September 23: The ULFA is reported to have shifted its bases and training camps from Bangladesh to Kachin in eastern Myanmar. Army intelligence sources said there was credible information that the ULFA had set up camps in Kachin jointly with militant groups of Manipur like the PLA and UNLF. The ULFA has made the move with the help of Kachin rebels, mainly the KIA, which is in a cease-fire with the military regime in Myanmar, they added. "It is back to square one for ULFA. During its initial days, the outfit had its training camps in Kachin but later shifted to Bangladesh. Now, the outfit is back to Kachin, which is indeed disturbing news for us," a source said.

• September 18: The Police arrested two militants of the '27th battalion' of ULFA, identified as Satya Baishya and Abdul Mazan Bora, from Baihata Chariali in Kamrup District. A revolver and three rounds of ammunition, a motorcycle, ULFA's letter pad and some extortion notes were recovered from their possession.

  The SFs arrested an ULFA linkman, Jaiprakash Rai (27) of Khudra Derugaon Suterpara village in Kokrajhar District.

• September 16: Police arrested two ULFA militants at Panitema and Dhirenpra respectively in Kamrup District. Police arrested Hemanta Deka (30) at Panitema Village under Kamalpur Police station. Following his confession, another ULFA militant, Bakul Boro, was arrested at Dhirenpara in Guwahati. Some writing pads of the outfit and a number of mobile SIM cards were recovered from their possession. The arrested ULFA cadres belong to the 709^th battalion.

  Police arrested two ULFA linkmen who demanded extortion money of INR four hundred thousand from a school teacher of Mulabari area in Baihata Chariali. The duo were identified as Bhabajyoti Choudhury and Kalyan Nath of Baihata Chariali.

  Assam Government's Principal Secretary (Home), Subhas Das, visited the Kakopathar designated camp of the pro-talks faction of the ULFA in Tinsukia District, where he held a discussion with its leaders.

• September 15: The self-styled 'sergeant major' of 28^th battalion of the ULFA, Niren Sharma alias Tarun Gogoi, surrendered before the SFs during a surrender ceremony held at Dinjan Military Station in Dibrugarh District. He deposited one AK 56 rifle and a hand grenade. Niren, who hailed from Sivasagar District, had been with the outfit since 1987 and had received military training in Bhutan in 1997. His wife Devika Gohain, a 'second lieutenant' of the 28^th battalion of ULFA, was arrested by the Army personnel on September 3.

• September 10: SFs arrested two ULFA militants, identified as Binoy Baruah alias Dibyajyoti Gohain (24), a resident of Kathalguri village, and Tilanku Moran alias Satyajit Moran alias Sanakya (26), a resident of Mamaroni village, from Kakojan in the Tinsukhia District. Sources said that the SFs started operations based on reports about extortion demands being placed on small tea estates and businessmen in the area. Two 9-mm pistols, seven live rounds, extortion pads, mobile phones and other incriminating material were recovered from the possession of the arrested militants. Sources added that these two militants were absconders from the ULFA cease-fire group camp at Kakopathar.

  The TADA court in Guwahati sentenced Ronkur Dutta, a senior ULFA cadre, to life imprisonment. Dutta was accused of murdering a Police officer.

• September 7: Police arrested one suspected ULFA cadre, Hemchandra Moran (30), son of Umesh Moran of Bormesai village of Kokopathar, on charges of extortion from Chabua area of Dibrugarh District. The Police arrested Hemchandra when he along with another militant went to Dikam Sessa for collection of extortion money. However, the other militant managed to escape. Police recovered a two wheeler used by the militant.

• September 6: A ‘Sergeant Major’ of the 709th Battalion of the ULFA, Pranay Ray alias Prabin alias Manaranjan (32), was shot dead by the Security Force personnel in a search operation at Kalipukri under Kokrajhar Police Station of Kokrajhar District. Police sources said that the slain militant was taking shelter in the house of one Biren Roy at Tilapara village. One 7.62 mm pistol with 19 live ammunition, one Chinese-made grenade, four mobile handsets, a satellite phone, one detonator, two empty cartridges and incriminating documents were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.

• September 3: The SFs arrested a ‘second lieutenant’ of the ULFA, Devika Gohain, from Titlaghar in the Sivasagar District. Devika, the wife of ULFA leader Niren Sarma, was arrested from the residence of Ajit Bharali.

• September 1: A ‘sergeant major’ of the ULFA, Niren Sarma, was shot dead in an encounter with the SFs at Bhaskarbari Chariali in the Dibrugarh District. One pistol, six rounds of ammunition and a mobile phone were recovered from his possession.

• August 30: The two employees of a Garo Hills-based cement company, abducted by suspected ULFA militants on August 21, were released in the Rongjuli area of Goalpara District. According to sources, the duo, Virgo Cement Industries manager Sambhu Dhanuka and chief engineer PK Hori, were abducted from near the cement plant at Damas on the Meghalaya-Assam border in the afternoon. They were held hostage for ransom at Simantala village in Goalpara District. Though it is not yet known who the abductors were, Assam Police suspect that the Viper Rabha Army, a lesser-known militant group, was involved in the incident. Viper Rabha Army is believed to enjoy the patronage of Assam-based ULFA. The ULFA had reportedly hired the services of Viper Rabha Army for its activities in Goalpara and parts of Garo Hills. However, the ULFA has denied any role in the abduction.

• August 29: SFs shot dead two ULFA militants at Nagapara hills under Boko Police station in the Kamrup District. Army sources said about four militants were taking shelter in a house and when the SFs raided the house, the militants opened fire. In the ensuing gunbattle, two militants died while two others escaped under cover of darkness. The site of the incident is about 50 kilometers from the capital city Guwahati. Though the two militants are yet to be identified, Police claimed that both were from the 709th battalion of ULFA and probably new recruits. One five kilograms of improvised explosive device, a grenade, one 9-mm pistol, ammunition and an unspecified amount of Bangladeshi currency notes were recovered from the possession of the slain militants.

• August 27: Two unidentified ULFA militants were shot dead at Golbeel under Barma Police Station in the Baksa District in the morning.

• August 26: SF personnel arrested three ULFA cadres, identified as Dilip Kalita alias Pranjal Deka, Thaneshwar Kalita alias Thanu and Dina Kalita from Debananda Satra village in Mangaldai District, reports Sentinel. According to sources the militants were belong to 27th Battalion of ULFA. Five black extortion notes were recovered from their possession.

• August 23: The Government of India asked Bangladesh to deport ULFA leader Anup Chetia, reports Assam Tribune. Chetia, whose real name is Golap Baruah, has been in jail since his arrest in Dhaka in January 1998 from Shyamoli area under the Foreigners Act and the Passports Act. After completion of Chetia’s jail term, India has asked Bangladesh to handover him. Bangladesh has so far not given any response but India is hopeful that it would accede to the request considering the new Government’s resolve to root out terrorism and the new impetus being imparted to bilateral ties. Chetia has been seeking political asylum in Bangladesh or deportation to any country other than India but those petitions are pending.

  Sentinel quoting an unconfirmed report said that the Union Government has already contacted the ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah through middlemen and expressed its willingness for unconditional peace talks with the outfit outside India. The ULFA is yet to react to the recent media report that Paresh Baruah was arrested from a hideout in Manipur.

  Police arrested one ULFA militant, Montu Kachari of Numuligarh, and a linkman, Tapan Bora of Baruah Gaon, from Bokakhat town in the Golaghat District. Some extortion notes were recovered from their possession.

• August 21: Two senior employees of a cement factory were abducted by suspected ULFA militants from near their factory at Damas area in the afternoon, when they were traveling in a vehicle to their main office at Dudhnoi of Goalpara District in Assam. They were identified as Sambu Danuka and P.K. Hori. Subsequently, the Police recovered the abandoned vehicle from Miapara village, five kilometers away from Damas. Sources said the prime suspect was the ‘108 battalion’ of the ULFA led by Gulit Das which was operating in the area. Unconfirmed reports indicated that the ULFA carried out the abduction in retaliation for the company not complying with its demand for a huge amount of ‘donations’.

• August 20: Telegraph reports that the pro-talks group of the ULFA has sought an urgent discussion with the Assam Government as their cadres were getting frustrated after waiting for more than a year. "If we do not get a positive response, we will have to decide on our future course of action," Prabal Neog, a leader of the pro-talks faction, who has been camping in the capital Guwahati since August 19, told. He said he would meet Principal Secretary (Home) S.C. Das as soon as he returns from Delhi. Neog said the cadres were frustrated and it had become difficult for the leaders to keep on convincing them that there would be some progress. He said several cadres have already deserted the designated camps in the past few months and a few have joined the ULFA while some have surrendered to the Security Forces. Jiten Dutta, another leader of the group, said the blame would rest entirely on the Government if talks failed this time and the cadres took some drastic steps. "We will not say now as to what we will do but we will take some decisive steps. The government has turned a deaf ear towards the issue. Despite repeated requests to clear its stand, there is simply no response from the government. This will be our final meeting with the government as we want to clear the air once and for all," he warned. The cadres of the pro-talks group are at present housed in three designated camps in the Tinsukia and Nalbari Districts.

• August 19: The CBI filed a chargesheet in Dr P.C. Ram abduction case before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate in Guwahati and stated that the ULFA was paid INR 3.2 million on June 5, 2007 as the first instalment of the demanded ransom. The money was handed over to an ULFA cadre, Tapan Rai, near the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport on the same day. The abductors had demanded INR 2100 million for the release of the senior Food Corporation of India official. Amongst the 17 persons charge-sheeted, top ranking leader and ‘commander’ of the ‘709 battalion’ of the ULFA, Hira Sarania, has been named as the prime conspirator. Rabiram Basumatary, the driver of FCI Executive Director Dr. P.C. Ram, was also named as one of the conspirators, though his name along with six others did not feature in the chargesheet as they had died during the course of the investigation. All the accused have been charge sheeted under Sections 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) and 364(a) (abduction for ransom) of the Indian Penal Code. Six Police officials who were arrested earlier in this connection have, however, been acquitted. Dr Ram, who was abducted from near his Sreenagar residence on April 17, remained in the abductor’s custody till his death in a cross-fire between Police and his abductors on July 12, 2007.

• August 16: A ULFA militant, identified as Khogen Konwar alias Nayan Jyoti Gogoi, was arrested from Bhojo railway station under Sonari Police station in Sivasagar District.

• August 14: Seven TNT slabs, each weighing about 1.5 kilograms, 10 electronic detonators, six 9-volt batteries and a bundle of fuse wire, were recovered near Ukium on the outskirts of Guwahati along the Assam-Meghalaya border. The arrest of a ULFA cadre, Mintu Rabha alias Raju, from Jyotinagar in Guwahati led to the recovery. The explosives were hidden under stones. A 9-mm pistol was also recovered from the possession of Rabha.

• August 13: A ULFA bomb expert heading for oil town Duliajan was arrested by a combined team of the Army, Central Reserve Police Force personnel and local Police from a night super bus near Dirai under Rajgarh Police Outpost of Dibrugarh District.

• The BSF personnel arrested one active ULFA linkman, identified as Mukti Bora (32), at Pushpa Bandha Chaudang Pathar village in Golaghat District. According to official sources, Bora tried to escape when the Police entered his house during the operation. The BSF recovered a demand draft amounting to INR five hundred thousand, signed by a senior cadre of the '28th battalion' of ULFA, Golap Sonwai.

• August 12: A 13-member team of woman cadres belonging to the ULFA and the Ranjan Daimary faction of the NDFB entered the Guwahati city to trigger subversive activities ahead of the Independence Day (August 15), latest intelligence inputs gathered by the Assam Police stated.

• August 11: Quoting sources in the intelligence agencies, Shillong Times has reported that the ULFA and NDFB have already set up temporary hideouts in Bhutan, contrary to the claims made by Bhutan that Indian militants do not put their bases anymore in that country. This report from an Indian intelligence agency came in the backdrop of the claim at the Seventh Border Coordination Development Meeting held at Thimphu (Bhutan), which dismissed reports about the ULFA and NDFB militants setting up permanent camps on its soil. According to official sources in Guwahati, the ULFA and NDFB militants were reorganising and attempting to sneak into Bhutan. New Delhi has reportedly informed Thimphu of the intrusion of about 30 militants into its soil. "We have information that they (ULFA and NDFB) have set up temporary hideouts there in the wake of stepped up counter-insurgency operations, especially in Lower Assam," an officer from the Military Intelligence said.

• August 10: The NDFB, ULFA, KLO of Assam, Manipur Peoples Liberation Front (MPLF) of Manipur and Tripura Peoples Democratic Front (TPDF) of Tripura jointly called a General Strike from 1am (IST) to 6.30pm (IST) on August 15 in the Northeast and called for to boycott of Independence Day.

• August 9: Suspected ULFA militants triggered a low-intensity explosion on a railway track at Harimura, around six kilometres from the Goalpara railway station in Goalpara District, damaging five sleepers. However, there were no casualties. The explosive went off ahead of a Guwahati-bound goods train. Sources said the driver had heard the blast and slowed the train. Railway sources said the train moved on after the sleepers were replaced. Police sources suspect that the Saraighat Express might have been the target of the blast.

• August 7: 28 militants of various outfits surrendered before the Assam Rifles at Lekhapani in Tinsukia District. The surrendered militants included eight ULFA cadres, eight AANLA cadres, three NSCN-IM cadres, seven NSCN-K cadres and three NSCN-U cadres.

  Two senior ULFA cadres surrendered with a cache of arms and ammunition in the Tezpur town of Sonitpur District. The surrendered cadres were identified as Dhaneswar Borkakoty alias Bhaiti and Prafulla Saikia alias Bahni Tamuly. Dhaneswar had joined the outfit in 1990 while the latter had joined in 1989. Dhaneswar deposited a cache of arms and ammunition comprising one AK 56 rifle, one AK series magazine, 90 rounds live cartridges of AK series, 750 grams of RDX, 3.8 kilograms of TNT explosives, six PTED switches, one 1.6 kilogram IED and one detonator, while Prafulla surrendered one M 20 pistol, two M 20 pistol magazine, 10 rounds live cartridge, one PTED switch, 800 grams TNT explosives and one detonator.

• August 5: Police arrested a linkman of '709 battalion' of the ULFA, identified as Mintu Kalita (22), son of Krishna Ram Kalita, a resident of Bamundi Kailashpur under Saulkuchi Police Station of Kamrup District.

  One ULFA militant, Golok Deka alias Jitu Saikia (28), was arrested by the SFs from Morigaon town of Morigaon District at 11am (IST). Three mobile phones and some incriminating documents were recovered from his possession.

  Army personnel neutralized an ULFA transit camp from the Namsang reserve forest along the Buri Dehing River in Dibrugarh District. Two revolvers, two .12 bore guns, a magazine of AK-47 rifle with 120 rounds, explosives, cordex, detonators, combat dresses and utensils were recovered from the camp.

• August 2: The SFs arrested a women cadre of the ULFA, identified as Rumi Baishya of Hatitari Gaon, at Musalpur under Baksa Police Station in Baksa District. 23 Aircel and Reliance SIM cards and various indiscriminating documents were recovered from her possession. Purnima Baishya and Nirupama Baishya, the aunt and mother of Rumi respectively, were also arrested for further investigation.

  The SFs arrested two ULFA linkmen, identified as Himata Sarma alias Deep (19) and his brother Himanshu Sarma alias Tapan (22), from their residence at Pati Darrang under Mongoldoi Police Station in Darrang District. One 22-mm locally-made revolver and two extortion notes of the ULFA were recovered from their residence.

• July 31: Contractors engaged in setting up a 33 KV Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) sub-station at Sriram Sapori village in Majuli of Jorhat District, fled after receiving extortion notes from the ULFA. A source said that the ASEB had commissioned the setting up of two sub-stations - a 132 KV at Garmur and the other 33 KV one at Sriram Sapori under the Rajiv Gandhi Vidyutkaran Yojana scheme of the Government of India. The two sub-stations would benefit about 7,000 families living in 200 villages in both the places. However, work at the 33 KV sub-station is incomplete following a threat to contractors by the ULFA. The source said that the contractors fled for fear of their lives after receiving extortion notes signed by M. Deka Phukan and Bijoy Das belonging to the '28^th Battalion' of the ULFA.

• July 30: Police arrested a ULFA linkman, Dilip Gogoi, from Mohura Ali area in the Golaghat District. Police sources said Gogoi, along with one Jayanta Baruah, was distributing extortion notices to businessmen in Golaghat town in the name of the ULFA. The whereabouts of Jayant is not known, the report added.

  Jitul Rajkhowa, president of the Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chhatra Parishad of Golaghat District sammittee (committee), was arrested for demanding INR 400000 in the name of the ULFA. He had reportedly threatened one Mohammad Nurul Sultan, an official of the District Rural Development Authority Department.

  The ULFA alleged that the killing of senior journalist Parag Das was a 'pre-planned conspiracy' by the Government which was evident in the acquittal of the prime accused on July 28. The ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa said in a statement that the acquittal of Mridul Phukan, the prime suspect, "was a preplanned conspiracy" to kill the noted journalist 13 years ago.

• July 29: The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced that the Government would take care of the treatment of ULFA 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah if he surrenders, reports Assam Tribune. Talking to media persons in Guwahati, Gogoi said the Government does not have conformed news of the sickness of the ULFA leader. "We have seen media reports in this regard, but we are not in a position to confirm or deny the reports." Gogoi also said the BW outfit has expressed its desire to come forward for talks but the Government would take a final decision in this regard in consultation with the Union Government. The Union Home Secretary G. K. Pillai is scheduled to arrive in Assam on July 30 and the issue will be discussed, he added.

  A ULFA militant, identified as Bastav Bora alias Rupjyoti Gogoi, was arrested by the SFs from a restaurant near the Assam Medical College in Dibrugarh District. A hand grenade, three kilograms of TNT and other explosives materials were recovered from his possession.

• July 26: The Army personnel recovered a cache of explosives from an adjacent location of the Upper Dehing Reserve Forest under Digboi Police Station in Tinsukia District. Sources said the explosives were stored by the ULFA to trigger blasts ahead of the outfit's 'martyrs' day' on July 28 or on the nation's Independence Day (August 15).

  Two ULFA linkmen, Sadhuram Koch and Jayanta Hasong, were arrested from Majari village in Dhubri District along the Assam-Meghalaya border.

• July 25: The SFs arrested one ULFA militant, identified as Upen Sarma, from Punia village under Mangaldai Police Station in Darrang District.

• July 24: A ULFA militant was shot dead while two others managed to escape during an encounter with SFs in the Bairagi area under Pathacharkuchi Police Station of Barpeta District in the morning. One US-made pistol and seven bullets were recovered from the slain militant's possession.

  Quoting an official source in the Home Department of Assam, Telegraph said an alert was announced about the plans of a 300-member group of youths to sneak into the State for carrying out subversive activities after being trained by Maoist rebels in Jharkhand over the past three years. An official in the Home Department said these youths, most of them members of an organisation ostensibly espousing the cause of farmers and also believed to be a frontal organisation of ULFA, had left Assam during 2006-2007. "Most of these youths are from areas where the organisation was active till a few months back. Now it is trying to form District-level committees throughout the state. Most of these youths are from Golaghat and Nagaon Districts. We have names of some of them who had disappeared since 2006. Some of these youths may have even been taking shelter in the Lalgarh area of West Bengal, which was till a few days back a stronghold of Maoist rebels," the official said. He said there were reports of the ULFA striking a deal with the Maoists and that these trained youths had been assigned to carry out subversive activities in the State. "ULFA has been trying since long to work together with the Maoist rebels operating in India, who have links with China," the official added. Sources said the organisation had strong bases in the Doyang and Tengani areas of Golaghat District and Kaki in Nagaon District. "We also have information that arms for these youths may have already arrived in the state. We are keeping a close watch on these areas," he added further.

• July 23: An unidentified ULFA militant was arrested following an encounter with the Security Forces in Nagaon District.

• July 21: The Union Government confirmed reports that self-styled 'commander-in-chief' of ULFA, Paresh Baruah, may have moved out of Bangladesh for some time. The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mullapally Ramachandran, was replying to a question in Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) on reports of Baruah moving to China. However, details in this regard are not available, the Minister added. The Minister also confirmed that a fresh list of prominent militant leaders and criminals based in Bangladesh including those against whom Red Corner Notice have been issued has been handed over to Director General of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) during the recent Director General level Border Coordination Conference at Dhaka from July 11-14.

  Police arrested one Achyut Deka from Ghograpar area of Nalbari District at around 11 pm (IST) in the night, who was trying to extort money from people in the disguise of ULFA. Sources said that Deka had served an extortion note of INR 500000 to Dr Pranabjyoti Deka, a local physician. The doctor while informing the Police asked Achyut to collect the money. The Police laid a trap and arrested Achyut while his accomplice Montu Ali managed to flee. The Police also recovered a motorbike on which they had come. Achyut hails from Karbaitola village under Nalbari Police Station.

  The ULFA militants shot dead a surrendered cadre, Hazong Rabha, and his wife Nalani Rabha, at their Nalanga Pahartoli residence under Baguwan Police Station in Goalpara District. Assam Police sources said the SULFA cadre, who surrendered and joined the mainstream in 2005, had been leading a normal life after marrying Nalani in 2006. He was engaged in coal trade since laying down arms. Suspected ULFA militants had also killed Hazong Rabha's uncle and his wife in the night of July 6 at their residence nearly 500 metres away from their hilltop house. Baguwan Police, however, denied that the incident had any link with militant groups.

  Quoting intelligence sources, Sentinel has reported that the ULFA planned to use women cadres for subversive activities during the forthcoming Independence Day celebrations on August 15. According to sources, a group of women cadres has entered Jorhat District from the border areas of Golaghat to carry out subversion. The Police in five upper Assam Districts have already intensified security measures on receiving this information.

• July 20: The CBI arrested an ULFA cadre of the pro-talks faction, Bhaskar Rajbonshi, from the Nalbari designated camp in connection with abduction and killing case of Food Corporation of India Executive Director P.C. Ram.

  SFs seized a detailed sketch of Dibrugarh Airport along with a large quantity of explosives from a ULFA hideout in a dense jungle at Seesabil under Tingkhong Police Station in the Dibrugarh District. Some other sketches, which appeared to be of bridges and oil and gas pipelines, were also found at the hideout. The recoveries include around three kilogram of TNT, one and half kilogram of RDX, five gelatin sticks, a hand grenade, a handmade pistol, 55 rounds of AK-series ammunition, three rounds of .303 rifle ammunition, extortion notes, camouflage uniforms and medicines. "ULFA could be planning something big ahead of its martyrs' day on July 28 and Independence Day on August 15," a senior Police Official said. "We have asked Oil India Limited, Assam Gas Company Limited and Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited to be extra cautious after today's haul," he added.

• July 19: Police arrested Indrajeet Bania, a top ranking militant of the 27^th battalion of the ULFA, from his rented house in the Gandhibasti area in Guwahati. Police also recovered an IED from the house. According to Assam Police, he was planning to trigger a high-intensity blast in Guwahati in the next few days. Meanwhile, the Police sounded an alert on July 18 that the ULFA was planning to trigger a blast in Guwahati with the help of a student.

• July 14: The BSF personnel arrested a suspected ULFA linkman, identified as Pradeep Sangma of Sherpur District of Bangladesh, along the India-Bangladesh border in the West Garo Hills District in the State of Meghalaya.

• July 12: The Army troopers and Police arrested a ULFA militant, identified as S. S. Bhola Gogoi, at Shimalguri under Bihpuria Police Station in the Lakhimpur District. One German .38 revolver with two live rounds, one Nokia mobile phone and incriminating documents were recovered from his possession. During interrogation, Bhola Gogoi confessed that he worked as an active cadre of the 28th Battalion of the ULFA and is the son of one Uttam Gogoi, a resident of Saraimoria in the North Lakhimpur District.

• July 10: Two ULFA militants were shot dead in an encounter with SFs at Nasatra village in Barpeta District. The Gaonburah (village headmen) of the village along with his wife and daughter were arrested for sheltering militants in his home. One of the slain militants was identified as Pingal Deka. Meanwhile, Shillong Times reports that the other militant was identified as Tinku Deka.

• July 9: A high ranking ‘second lieutenant’ and ‘commander’ of ‘27th Battalion’ of the ULFA , Manik Saikia (38), a resident of Sootea Sapekhati Gaon under Sootea Police Station in Sonitpur District, surrendered in front of the Superintendent of Police of Sonitpur District. He deposited a 9-mm pistol and some bullets at the time of his surrender. He also confessed that he had joined the ULFA in 1990.

  The Guwahati city Police arrested a ULFA extortionist, Raju Koch, at Ganeshguri area of Guwahati when he came to collect extortion money from a business firm. Police said Koch had served an extortion note on an ULFA letterhead to the firm demanding INR 500000. Koch belongs to Nazira in the Sivasagar District.

• July 8: Shillong Times reports that the ULFA has regrouped its 28th battalion in a base in Myanmar close to the border to step up its activities in the eastern Assam's industrial and tea belt. Security sources said the outfit had appointed Bijoy Chinese as the 'operation commander' of the revamped ‘28th battalion’, which had been virtually rendered defunct after its ‘A’ and ‘C’ companies entered into a truce with the Government in June 2008 and its cadres taken shelter in designated camps. Some of the senior leaders of the outfit have reportedly taken shelter in Mon District of Nagaland to carry out specific strikes in eastern Assam areas before Independence Day.

  Central intelligence agencies have cautioned about a "rejuvenated" ULFA carrying out a massive fund collection drive from the business establishments located along Assam’s boundary with Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. According to an intelligence report from upper Assam, several businessmen paying extortion money to the ULFA were doings so in installments. Sources in the agency said the sum in the demand notes served to the traders varied between INR 200000 and INR 2000000. A senior officer of Golaghat Police confirmed that the ULFA had been trying to extort businessmen in the border areas. Such notices have been served in the Merapani and Chungajan areas along the Assam-Nagaland border, he said. "We have not received any official complaint till now though we have information about a few businessmen receiving such extortion notes. A few have allegedly paid to the ULFA coffers also." Most of these businessmen, the officer said, are Hindi-speaking persons. Meanwhile, a statement issued by ULFA’s ‘finance secretary’, ‘lieutenant colonel’ Chitraban Hazarika, on July 8 said "donation notes" purportedly signed by him and distributed among the businessmen, especially in Nagaon district, were fake. "Such notices are fake as I have not signed any donation note since 2002," the statement added.

• July 7: A ULFA militant, identified as Jitu Medhi, was shot dead in an encounter with the Police at Amsoi along the border of Nagaon and Karbi Anglong District.

• July 6: A self styled "sergeant" of the ULFA, identified as Deepshikha Baruah alias Bohagi Baruah (35), a resident of Himpora village under Moranhat Police Station in Sivasagar District, was arrested by the SFs on from Rongapathar village under Sonari Police Station. A revolver and an IED were recovered from Baruah who belongs to the Bravo Company of ULFA’s 28th battalion. The Sivasagar District Superintendent of Police, Shyamal Prasad Saikia, said that Baruah confessed that "the outfit has plans to hit certain specific targets in the run-up to Independence Day to once again prove its existence." A senior Army officer, Lieutenant Colonel S. Banerjee, who was leading the Army troops, was injured in his leg when Baruah fired at him from a revolver. Two senior leaders of the pro-talks faction of the ULFA, Prabal Neog and Jiten Dutta, had cautioned on July 1 that the ULFA planned to strike before Independence Day, saying they had learnt about it from "their own channels". Neog had even said the ULFA might try to kill important functionaries of the pro-peace camps.

  One ULFA linkman, Parth Pratim Saikia, was arrested by Police from Chowkidingee area of Dibrugarh District.

• July 1: The pro-talks faction of the ULFA sounded an alert and beefed up security at its camps in the upper Assam region following reports through its "own channels" that the outfit was attempting to carry out strikes in the area, including on its members. The pro-talks faction also cautioned the State Government about ULFA's plan to carry out the attacks in August 2009. Prabal Neog, a leader of the pro-talks faction, told Telegraph, "Many cadres (of ULFA) have already entered Tinsukia District from the Myanmar camps via Arunachal Pradesh and have started distributing extortion notices. We have information about ULFA trying desperately to carry out strikes. If not on Security Forces, it may be Hindi-speaking settlements and us. We have tightened security in our camps." Jiten Dutta, another pro-talks leader, said most of the ULFA militants who had entered Tinsukia recently were recruited by him just a few months before they declared a cease-fire in June 2008. "They are fully trained now and have been sent by the leadership to carry out strikes," he added.

• June 28: Army personnel arrested one ULFA militant, identified as 28-year old Dipen Bailung alias Malikto Bailung, from Dikhoumukh area in Sivasagar District. During interrogation, he confessed to being involved in regrouping activities and extortion in Sivasagar District under the command of ULFA's 'sergeant' Nomal Gogoi, who has reportedly been operating in the Assam-Nagaland border region.

• June 27: Police arrested a ULFA linkman, identified as Gautom Hajong (38), from Aidoba village under Mankachar Police Station in the Dhubri District.

• June 25: Quoting highly placed security sources, Assam Tribune reported that the ULFA, anti-talks faction of the NDFB and the BW outfits have joined hands as they were under pressure from the on going operation against them by Security Forces. Sources said that at present ULFA cadres led by Hira Sarania are reportedly moving around in the areas bordering Bhutan in the Chirang and Baska Districts and they may try to trigger explosions with the help of the anti-talks faction of the NDFB. Sources also said the Black Widow group has established ties with the anti-talks faction of the NDFB. There have also been reports that a few Black Widow militants have managed to go to Bangladesh along with cadres of the anti-talks faction of the NDFB.

  One ULFA militant was shot dead in an encounter with the SFs near Sukurbaria Bazaar under Rani Police outpost in Kamrup District. The Additional Superintendent of Police of Kamrup District, S. Deka, said the slain militant, who appeared to be in his early twenties, could not be identified. One pistol, a grenade and incriminating documents were recovered from his possession.

• June 24: An ULFA militant, identified as Jibesh Chakraborty alias Kaku, was arrested in a joint operation launched by the Boitamari Police and CRPF from Salbari village under Boitamari Police out post in Bongaigaon District. Police sources said Jibesh entered Bongaigaon after completing 12-day training in Kuklung forest.

  SFs recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from Namdang reserve forest under Khowang Police Station in Dibrugarh District. Around 3000 rounds of various types of ammunition, five hand grenades, one AK 56 rifle with three magazines, one revolver and 30 detonators were recovered. All the arms and ammunition were sealed in two large bags. Colonel D K Singh of the Indian Army said that intelligence inputs and interrogation of surrendered and arrested cadres had indicated that the reserve forests in Dibrugarh District were being used by the ULFA and other terrorist groups for transit and for hiding caches of arms and ammunition.

• June 23: One ULFA militant was shot dead in an encounter with a joint team of the Police and CRPF at Sagarkuchi village in Khatikuchi area under Ghograpar Police Station in Nalbari District. According to sources, the SFs arrested two militants while travelling on a numberless bike. In the encounter, one militant was injured while the other managed to escape. The wounded militant later succumbed to his injuries.

  The pro-talks faction of the ULFA celebrated the anniversary of a unilateral cease-fire and initiation of peace process, reports Sentinel. The 'Alpha and Charlie' companies of the '28th battalion' of ULFA had declared a unilateral truce on June 24, 2008. The pro-talks ULFA cadres living in the designated camps at Kakopathar, Tinsukia, Moran and Nalbari have been demanding full autonomy. However, Mrinal Hazarika and Jiten Dutta, leaders of these two companies, have expressed apprehension that with little development in the peace process, there was a high possibility of new recruits joining the ULFA.

• June 22: Personnel of the 65th Field Regiment of Red Horns Division arrested one Binoy Borah, a cadre of the 27th Battalion of ULFA, from Adhikarigaon village under Mangaldai Police Station in Darrang District. One 7.65 mm magazine, five live rounds and one mobile phone was recovered from his possession.

  The ULFA called a 12-hour Assam bandh (general shutdown) from 5 am (IST) of June 25 for the alleged killing of cadres of ULFA, NDFB and BW outfit in custody of the SFs. In a press release issued on June 22, the ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa alleged that recently two members of the 28th battalion of the ULFA - Debojit Chetia and Durlav Bora - were killed in Nagaon in a "fake encounter". He said that both the ULFA members were arrested on June 10 near Karbi Anglong and were later shot dead. The ULFA chairman also alleged that in June 2009 17 NDFB cadres were killed and most of them were killed while they were in the custody of the SFs. He further alleged that BW cadre Frankie Dimasa was also killed after he was picked up by the troops. Rajkhowa said that instead of trying to find political solution to the problems, the Government has been trying to deal with the situation with force.

• June 21: Two ULFA militants were shot dead during a joint operation by the Army and Police near the Dijuvalley tea estate in Nagaon District. One of the slain militants was identified as Subhankar Bora alias Debojit Saikia, a cadre of the '28^th battalion' of the ULFA, while the other is yet to be identified. One AK 56 rifle, one 9-mm revolver and ammunition and fired cases were recovered from the possession of the slain militants.

• June 19: An unidentified ULFA militant was shot dead in an encounter with Police and CRPF personnel at Kacharitol village under Kalaigaon Police Station in Udalguri District. One Chinese pistol along with several rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.

• June 18: An unidentified ULFA militant was shot dead by a joint team of the Army and Police at Dababil under Sidli Police Station in Chirang District.

  The United Pro-talks Organization (UPO), comprising the ULFA, DHD, ACF and the BCF, demanded regional autonomy in the Northeast so that lasting solutions to the problems of the region could be solved.

• June 17: Telegraph quoting eyewitnesses sources reports that three suspected ULFA militants who came on two bicycles shot dead a surrendered SULFA cadre, Khiren Chandra Nath (36), inside a saloon at Salkosa in Dhubri District. Another surrendered ULFA cadre, Bishnu Barman, and a barber, Dulal Sil Sarma, were injured. The people of the area later obstructed the National Highway and gheraoed the Police Station in protest against the killing.

• June 15: The Police and Army personnel shot dead an ULFA militant, identified as Biman Gogoi, and arrested a linkman, Hemchandra Gogoi, from Telikhola Majgaon area of Sadiya in Tinsukia District. Later, the Army recovered two AK-56 rifles, three magazines of AK series, one magazine of M-20 pistol and 128 live ammunitions of AK series from Udaypur area under Chapakhowa Police Station, based on the confession of the arrested linkman.

• June 14: Two suspected militants of the ULFA managed to escape after local residents pelted stones at them when they tried to threaten a businessman at gunpoint on the Chamber Road under Fancy Bazaar Police Station of Guwahati city. Police, however, managed to recover a .38 and a 9-mm pistol which the militants left behind after being chased by the public.

• June 11: Two ULFA militants, identified as Megha Hajong and Arun Rabha, were killed by a joint team of the Meghalaya Police and Army at Bangalpara village in West Garo Hills District. An AK-47 rifle, two Chinese grenades, three AK-rifle magazines with ammunition and some explosives were recovered from their possession. Hajong was the ‘area commander’ of the ULFA for the entire Garo Hills. Police said Hajong was involved in smuggling of arms and ammunition from Bangladesh through the Garo Hills border to Assam.

• June 10: Telegraph reports that the ULFA has started a new strategy of recruiting the youth of tea tribe community in upper Assam. The outfit’s new strategy came to light following the arrest of an ULFA linkman, Devdas Tanti, from Thowra tea estate in Sivasagar District. Tanti, a tea garden labourer, confessed that he had been asked by the ULFA to lure tea garden youths to join the outfit

• June 8: The personnel of 11th Maratha Regiment arrested one Prasenjit Barman (19) of Goladangi and his accomplice Manik Barman (21) for their reported links with the ULFA.

• June 5: A huge cache of arms belonging to the ULFA was recovered by Security Forces from Tinsukia District.

• June 3: Three militants, including a senior ULFA militant identified as Madhurjya Gogoi, were killed in an encounter with the Army at Chayabhata village in Karbi Anglong District around 1.30pm (IST). Gogoi was a self-styled 'lieutenant' of the banned outfit. Of the other two militants, one was Gogoi's bodyguard while another was a KLNLF cadre. An AK-series rifle, two 9mm pistols, a Chinese grenade, ammunition and cash-receipt book were recovered from the encounter site.

  A ULFA militant, Karuna Mili alias Madhab Mili, was arrested from Matmara area under Dhakuakhana Police Station in Lakhimpur District. A 9-mm factory made pistol, one magazine and three rounds of live ammunition were recovered from his possession.

• June 2: A cadre belonging to the '709 battalion' of the ULFA, identified as Nripen Das, was arrested by the Police from Hajo in Kamrup District.

• June 1: Police arrested one Ranjit Dutta alias Jan of Sasoni Tokobill area on the charge of extortion from Tipling under Duliajan Police Station in Dibrugarh District. Police sources said Dutta was arrested when he went to collect the extortion money. A few note pads of the ULFA and some incriminating documents were recovered from his possession.

• May 31: The ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, who has been hiding in Bangladesh for many years now, is reported to be in China for about a month now, intelligence agencies have indicated. Government sources told that Indian intelligence agencies have been able to intercept Baruah's mobile phone and satellite phone conversations from China and are also aware of his precise location in that country. Though there is no clarity on the reason for his visit, sources said Baruah might have travelled to China in the hope of procuring some arms. His China visit comes at a time when the Awami League Government under Sheikh Hasina has initiated a crackdown on the ULFA and other Indian insurgent groups who have taken shelter in that country.

• May 30: Police arrested two ULFA militants, identified as Pramod Kalita and Satish Rajbongshi, and one PLA cadre, Birchandra Singh, from the Baihata Chariali area of Kamrup District. 50 kilograms of RDX, five kilograms of ammonium nitrate and some detonators were recovered from their possession. Police claimed that on the eve of ULFA's protest day, the militants were on an extortion drive in Kamrup, including Guwahati city. They arrived at Baihata Chariali to meet one bomb-expert, the report added.

• May 29: Police arrested three unidentified ULFA militants at Baihata Chariali area of Rangiya in Kamrup District. Five kilograms of RDX (Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine) were recovered from their possession.

• May 28: Two army personnel and two suspected ULFA militants were injured in an encounter at Naamtemera Noigaon under Dergaon Police Station in Golaghat District.

  Sentinel has reported that the '28th Battalion' of the ULFA served extortion notices to several businessmen in upper Assam and set a target of collecting INR 10 million from the region. Sources said that taking advantage of the agreement between the Government and the pro-talks faction of the ULFA, a group of militants were serving extortion notes in the name of the ULFA's '709 Battalion' to a number of businessmen in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia Districts. According to sources in the ULFA, a meeting was convened at the headquarters of the '28th Battalion' in Myanmar three days back to discuss the financial crisis and ways to cope with it. The meeting unanimously resolved to collect INR 10 million from upper Assam and instructed its cadres to serve the extortion notes.

• May 25: Two persons, including one surrendered United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) cadre Bipul Saraniya (25), were shot dead by an unidentified militant at Saukuchi under Barama Police Station in Baksa. Police sources said when the SULFA man was taking a meal along with Amar Das (15) at their relative's home, an unidentified militant shot at them with a 9-mm pistol from zero distance.

• May 19: The Guwahati Police arrested two youths, identified as Dhanjit Kalita and K. Sinha, from the Chandmari Police Station area for allegedly planning to serve extortion notes in the name of the banned ULFA.

• May 15: The troops arrested one self-styled 'Sergeant Major' of the ULFA, Achyut Sarma alias Deepak Deka alias Noor, from Hazarikapara village under Sipajhar Police Station in Darrang District.

• May 14: Dispur city Police arrested two private security guards of a residential apartment in Chandmari area of Guwahati city for extorting money for ULFA. Police said the accused were identified as Amitabh Boro (27) from Sipajhar in Darrang District and Dibakar Rajbongshi (32) from Rangia in Kamrup District. The Police said the accused had made extortion calls to some persons in the name of Hira Sarania, the 'commander'' of the '709 battalion' of ULFA.

• May 12: Dibrugarh District Police arrested a suspected ULFA linkman, Pankaj Baruah, from Mirihola village under Moran Police Station on charges of extortion. According to Police sources, Bapu Jewelers had received an extortion demand of INR 500000, reportedly from Dennis Sonowal, a member of the 'Bravo Company' of ULFA. The matter was reported to the Police and a trap was laid and Pankaj Barua who had arrived at the spot to collect the demanded amount was caught.

  Police shot dead an unidentified ULFA militant in an encounter at Solmari under Baihata Chariali Police Station in the Kamrup District. While Police recovered one 9-mm pistol from the possession of the slain militant, two other militants managed to escape. Police sources said a group of three ULFA militants were taking shelter in the area with a view to collect funds for their outfit.

• May 10: Police arrested an advocate, Gobinda Nath, from his residence at Gopal Bazaar in Nalbari town, based on the confession of a ULFA cadre, Manoj Sharma. Sharma, who is a cadre of the '709 battalion' of the ULFA, was arrested earlier. Police sources said Sharma, who hails from Baihata in Kamrup District, had gone to Nalbari to collect cash from the advocate.

• May 8: Police arrested one ULFA militant, identified as Arup Deka (20), from Ganeshpara area of Guwahati in Kamrup District. The Police said Deka, who hails from Musalpur in Baksa District, is a cadre belonging to '709 battalion' of the ULFA, and suspected to be involved in several subversive activities including the blast at Jyotikuchi.

  Two ULFA militants, who were shot dead in an encounter at Beganabari in Sivasagar District, were identified as Jitu Changmai and Linton Ingti. Jitu hails from Sivasagar District while Linton is from Tinsukia District.

• May 7: Two unidentified ULFA militants were shot dead by Police during an encounter at Beganabari in Sivasagar District. Police recovered a universal machine gun, one AK-56 rifle and several rounds of live ammunition from the encounter site.

• May 3: An unidentified ULFA militant was killed while another was wounded in an encounter with a joint team of the Police, Central Reserve Police Force and Army at Biyakorowa village under Merapani Police station in the Golaghat District.

• April 29: A camp of the ULFA was neutralised and a cache of arms and ammunition recovered by the Army at Salna in Nagaon District.

• April 28: Two ULFA militants were shot dead in an encounter with the SF personnel at Sripurdeor Haribangha under Mushalpur Police station in Baksa District.

• April 27: Suspected ULFA militants shot dead a pro-talks cadre, Hitesh Rabha (28), at Khaldang village under Krishnai Police station in Goalpara District. Police sources said a group of four ULFA cadres shot Rabha from close range when he came out of his house after dinner. Rabha was with ULFA's 709th battalion before he came over ground. This is the second major attack by suspected ULFA militants on the pro-talks group within a month. Earlier, on March 25, they had killed Robin Gogoi, who was instrumental in roping in leaders of the A and C companies of ULFA's 28th battalion for talks. Pro-talks leader Maradona Russell alias Naren Rai, who is in charge of the group's Nalbari designated camp, held ULFA "commander-in-chief" Paresh Barua and "chairman" Arabinda Rajkhowa" responsible for the killing. He warned that his group would not remain a silent spectator to the killing of its members.

  SFs arrested two ULFA militants from Dekargaon area under Serfunguri Police station in Kokrajhar District.

• April 24: The ULFA has started extorting money from traders in Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh Police said that two cadres of ULFA's 28 battalion, Ghanakanta Saikia and Deepak Bhuyan, were arrested from Bihpuria in Assam's Lakhimpur District on, for serving an extortion notice for INR one million to a trader at Banderdewa in Arunachal Pradesh last week and intimidating him. They were remanded to Police custody for 14 days by a local magistrate on April 25.

• April 22: A joint team of the Police and the Army arrested Subil Borgohain, a 'sergeant major' belonging to the 'B' Company of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), from Mahmora Ali near Namrup Police station in Dibrugarh District. One AK-56 rifle, 44 rounds of live ammunition and some incriminating documents were recovered from his possession.

• April 21: Police arrested three ULFA linkmen for their alleged involvement in the bomb blast at Jyotikuchi in the Maligaon area of Guwahati city in Kamrup District. Police sources said the trio, identified as Kandarpa Das, Sanjay Thakuria and Gautam Thakuria were arrested from Musalpur in the Baksa District.

• April 18: In a joint operation, Assam Rifles troopers along with the Udalguri and Orang Police arrested four ULFA linkmen from two different areas of Udalguri District. Phuleswar Nath and Dulal Nath were arrested from Goraimari village while Pranab Nath and Satyajeet Nath were arrested from Bagalibari village under Majbat Police Station.

• April 11: Police recovered two IEDs, one concealed inside a football weighing around 10 kilograms and the other inside a steel container weighing around three kilograms, from the house of one Babul Das under Basistha Police Station of Guwahati. Police sources said Babul Das had been arrested once earlier for suspected links with the banned ULFA.

• April 10: The Mankachar Police arrested five more persons in connection with the grenade blast at Mankachar Police Station on April 6. Four of the arrested persons who were suspected to have maintained links with the ULFA were identified as Kamini Koch, Mithun Koch, Kamal Koch and Mokmol Koch. All of them hail from Gopalpur village under Mankachar Police Station in Dhubri District.

• April 9: Two women cadres of ULFA, identified as Debalata Handique and Jonali Deka, were arrested from an unspecified area of Guwahati in the Kamrup District and remanded to three days Police custody for their role the March 25 grenade attack in front of the civil hospital in Tezpur.

  Another ULFA militant, identified as Jadav Bora, was arrested by the Security Force personnel from Amlaki Pait Gaon under Jonai Police Station in the Dhemaji District.

• April 8: SFs shot dead one unidentified ULFA militant at Bhuyakhati near Dalgaon in the Darrang District. Some arms and ammunition were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.

  Police arrested two persons, identified as Pulin Bora and Lakhiprasad Nath, from Dhekiajuli in the Sonitpur District in connection with the April 6 bomb blast. Police sources said both are surrendered ULFA cadres.

• April 7: Police and Army in a joint operation arrested one ULFA militant, identified as Parimal Barman, and six of its linkmen from Paglaghat under Tamarhat Police Station area of Dhubri District in connection with the April 6 grenade attack on a Police Station at Mankachar in the same District.

• April 6: Ten persons were killed and about 59 others injured in four explosions carried out by suspected ULFA militants. The militants carried out three blasts and mounted a grenade attack within five hours. The Director General of Police, G.M. Srivastava, said seven people were killed and 56 injured in a powerful blast in a crowded market in Guwahati’s Maligaon area at around 2 pm (IST). The explosion sparked a fire that set ablaze two cars and 20 motorcycles and spread to a three-storey building housing the area police station. While six people were killed at the blast site, one died of injuries after jumping from an adjacent building which had caught fire. The bomb is suspected to have been hidden in a car or a motorcycle parked adjacent to the North-East Frontier Railway headquarters. "This is the handiwork of ULFA boys ahead of the outfit’s Raising Day" Srivastava said, adding the militants used hi-tech explosives. A bomb was set off by unidentified militants in the Santipur area near Bokajan in Karbi Anglong District earlier in the day. Suspected ULFA militants also set off a bicycle bomb explosion at Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur District later. Four people were injured, one of them seriously, in this incident. According to an unconfirmed report, he later died of his injuries. In addition, an unidentified militant lobbed a hand grenade at Mankachar Police station in Dhubri district, killing a Police driver and injuring another.

• April 5: Assam Tribune reports that Police released photos of two ULFA militants who had entered Guwahati city to carry out subversive activities ahead of the outfit’s raising day on April 7. The two militants were identified as Manohar Rajbangshi alias Son and Pradip Kalita alias Deep. Manohar hails from Musalpur in Baksa District, while Pradip is from Nagaon District, the Additional Superintendent of Guwahati City Police, Devajit Deuri, said. They belong to the ‘709th and 27th battalion’ of ULFA respectively.

• April 3: Police arrested two ULFA militants, identified as Rakesh Thakuria (22) and Kamal Nayan Talukdar alias Baba (27), from Basistha and Noonmati areas of Guwahati city respectively. They were involved in the March 31 bomb blast at Jyotikuchi area in Guwahati city. The Additional Superintendent of Police (City), Debojit Deori, said the duo was also wanted in connection with several other cases. "They were arrested based on the account of the eyewitnesses of the Jyotikuchi blast," he said.

• March 31: 53 militants, including 44 from the ULFA, surrendered before the Army at Dinjan Army station in the Tinsukia District. Besides the 44 ULFA militants, including four women cadres, there were three NSCN militants and six members of the AANLA. The militants deposited a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including 44 pistols, five guns, one machine gun and huge quantities of assorted ammunition.

  One person died while at least nine others sustained injuries when an IED exploded in the Jyotikuchi area under Gorchuk Police Station of Guwahati city in the Kamrup District. The blast occurred two kilometers away from Lalmati area, where the Union External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukerjee was supposed to address a public gathering as a part of ruling Congress party’s election campaign. Senior Superintendent of Police P. C. Saloi said, "From the prima facie evidence, it appears to be the handiwork of the banned ULFA".

• March 30: Quoting Assam Police sources, Assam Tribune has reported that a group of Islamist militants had entered upper Assam with the help of local militants to disrupt the parliamentary elections scheduled to be held in April 2009. The Superintendent of Police of Dibrugarh, Abhijeet Bora, said Islamist militants have entered upper Assam through Myanmar and neighbouring Nagaland’s Mon District. ‘Bravo’ company of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) had possibly helped these militants enter the area as the ‘Alpha’ and ‘Charlie’ units of the outfit were on a cease-fire with the Government, he added.

• March 29: SFs arrested one ULFA militant, identified as Sankar Rajbongshi (30), from Anandapur village in the Baksa District.

  The Morigaon Police arrested two woman ULFA militants, identified as Jonali Deka and Devalata Handique, from Jorabat area near Guwahati of Kamrup District.

• March 25: The pro-talks ULFA leader, Robin Gogoi, and Luit Boishya, a cloth merchant, were shot dead by suspected ULFA militants at Kristhi Sangh playground in the Tinsukia District. According to the Police, Boishya, who is from Nalbari, died on the spot while Gogoi succumbed to injuries on the way to a hospital in Tinsukhia.

  One ULFA linkman, identified as Ria Marak, was arrested by the troops from Bishandagiri area under Garobada Police Station in the West Garo Hills District.

• March 18: One Police constable, Nirmal Deka (38), and a ULFA militant were killed in an exchange of fire between the two sides at Kalitapara under the Sipajhar Police Station in the Darrang District. Police recovered one 9-mm pistol, two grenades, four mobile phones, four batteries, 13 rounds of live ammunition and three books from the possession of the slain militant. Telegraph had earlier reported that the Constable was injured in the incident.

• March 17: A Police constable, Nirmal Deka, was injured while an ULFA militant, Ganesh Sarma, was killed in an encounter at Kurua village under Sipajhar Police Station in the Darrang District.

  Unidentified militants shot dead a surrendered ULFA cadre, Nayanjyoti Roy, at the main market area of Kokrajhar District.

• March 15: Police arrested three militants of the '27th Battalion' of the ULFA from Baihata Chariali Police Station area in the Kamrup District. They were identified as Badal Saikia, Ganesh Goswami and Pradeep Kalita.

• March 13: The Police arrested one ULFA militant, identified as Utpal Barman, from Noonmati area of Guwahati in the Kamrup District.

• March 12: Army personnel arrested one ULFA militant, identified as Bisaru Teli (40), at Mahmora Arabari under Mahmora Police Station in the Dibrugarh District. 11 rounds of .303 live ammunition were recovered from the house of the arrested militant.

• March 10: Militant outfits like the ULFA and KLO were reportedly on an extortion drive in different villages of Dhubri District. These outfits were demanding INR 50, 000 to INR 500, 000 from middle class business men and servicemen residing in various villages under Golokganj Police Station in Dhubri District bordering Bangladesh and West Bengal. According to sources, using the KLO letterhead and signing with its self styled 'commander' as S. Barman, a huge number of demand notes was served to many businessmen and servicemen residing in the village of Kanur Bish Khowa, Ratiadaha, Lakhimari and Rakhapat under Golokganj Police Station. In addition, one Raju Borua, mentioning himself as 'deputy chief' of the ULFA and using a cell phone bearing Bangladeshi No.- 008801190856310, demanded money from some businessmen residing at villages in the Dhubri District along the Assam-West Bengal border. The report adds that one Ankur Bora, identifying himself as a ULFA leader, has also demanded money from some businessmen communicating through a cell phone.

• March 9: One ULFA militant, identified as Tarun Thengal, surrendered before the Police in the headquarters of Jorhat District.

• March 8: A joint team of Army and Police shot dead one ULFA militant, identified as ‘sergeant major’ Lolit Bora alias Ajit Gogoi alias Ajala Kokai, near Balijan Grant area in the Sivasagar District. A US-made revolver with three bullets, a grenade, a mobile handset, and a notepad were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.

• March 6: A ULFA cadre, identified as Hiramal Sarkar alias Anupam Gogoi, was shot dead by troops during an encounter at Launriguri under Bijni Police Station in the Chirang District.

• March 2: Assam Police arrested one ULFA militant, identified as Navajit Das alias Himanshu Roy, from Garchuk area of Guwahati City. A member of the outfit’s central committee, he has been with the ULFA since 1995.

  Police arrested a woman ULFA cadre, identified as Lamayanti Roy alias Ajanta Rabha of Chipansila area in the Bongaigaon District.

• February 28: 45 militants, including 32 ULFA cadres, six KLNLF cadres, five NDFB cadres and a cadre each of the MULTA and PLF-M, surrendered along with a huge quantity of arms and ammunition before Red Horns Division of Indian Army in a surrender ceremony organized at Rangiya of Kamrup District.

• February 26: In a joint operation, the Assam Police and CRPF personnel shot dead two top militants belonging to the ‘Bravo company’ of the ULFA’s ‘28th Battalion’ at Balijan village under Jengraimukh Police Station in Jorhat District. The duo were identified as ‘operation commander’ Bhaskar Hazarika and ‘sergeant major’ Sarat Bora. Nine bags of incriminating documents relating to the ‘28th Battalion’, an AK-47 rifle, 20 detonators and fuse wires, two pistols and several grenades were recovered from the incident site. In addition, $10,000 and INR 100000 in cash was recovered from a bag.

• February 23: A self styled ‘corporal’ of ‘28th Battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as Manab Handique alias Dambaru Bora, was arrested by Police personnel at Padumoni area of Golaghat District.

• February 22: A jute trader of Bogribari area, identified as Kartick Sen, was abducted by a combined group of suspected ULFA and KLO militants from his residence at Bogribari Bazaar area in the Dhubri District. According to Police sources, five motorcycle-borne militants called Kartik Sen out of his house and took him away after opening fire in the air. Four years back, Sen’s eldest brother Ganesh Sen had been shot dead by the ULFA.

• February 21: Troops arrested two ULFA cadres and four linkmen during a search operation at Ronbalgiri area in the East Garo Hills District. A wireless set, 40 rounds of 9-mm ammunition and medicines were recovered from their possession.

• February 20: The pro-talks faction of the ULFA raised a demand for "full autonomy" to Assam within the framework of Indian Constitution after detaching itself from the ULFA’s "demand for restoration of Assam’s sovereignty". The ‘president’ of the pro-talks faction, Mrinal Hazarika, and two other senior leaders, Prabal Neog and Jiten Dutta, informed that the faction had submitted an 18-point charter of demands to the Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on February 19 for solution of the insurgency problem in Assam through negotiation. He further added that Gogoi had "assured them to send the memorandum to the Prime Minister for consideration by the Central Government. Those political parties who are going to highlight these demands in the coming Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Parliament) polls will receive morale support from us."

• February 19: One suspected ULFA militant, identified as Indrajeet Roy, was arrested by the Army personnel from Koimari village under Golokganj Police Station in Dhubri District.

• February 17: One Surrendered ULFA cadre, identified as Rajesh Das, was shot dead by suspected ULFA militants in Guromari Pathar area of Barpeta District.

• February 8: Telegraph reports that the Unified Command Structures of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have launched a joint operation to neutralize transit camps set up by the militants in Changlang and Tirap Districts to prevent them from reaching Myanmar. The counter-insurgency operations would target militants of the ULFA and NSCN, besides militants operating from West Bengal and Sikkim, who take shelter and receive training in the Districts of Arunachal Pradesh with support from larger outfits. Apart from Changlang and Tirap, camps in Tamulpur, Darrang, Kajalgaon and Udalguri areas of Assam bordering Bhutan would also be targeted. "This (the camps) is where we want to stop them. Our main focus area will, therefore, be Changlang and Tirap, as these are their getaways. The mega crackdown should be over before the parliamentary elections," an unnamed senior official said. "The objective is to stop the militants from moving out of Bangladesh and from reaching Myanmar. The Sheikh Hasina regime has made her stand very clear vis-à-vis militant groups from India operating from Bangladeshi soil. Things will only get tough for the rebels in Bangladesh," he added.

• February 6: One ULFA militant, identified as Trailokya Deka, was shot dead by the SFs during an encounter at Nasatra under Sarthebari Police Station in the Barpeta District.

  Two suspected ULFA linkmen, Shyamanta Senchowa and Hitesh Gogoi, were arrested by a joint team of the Army and Police from Tingkhong in the Dibrugarh District, for extorting money from the traders using letterheads of the ULFA.

• February 5: An unidentified ULFA militant was shot dead by the SFs at Polokhata under Barama Police Station in the Baksa District. A pistol and a hand grenade were recovered from his possession.

  An encounter took place between the Police and a group of ULFA militants at Solmara village in the Nalbari District. The militants opened fire on the Police who retaliated their firing. Two militants were arrested from the encounter site and one pistol was recovered from their possession.

  The Basistha Police arrested a ULFA cadre, identified as Jintu Borah, from the Bhangagarh area of Guwahati city.

• February 3: A five-member delegation of the pro-talks ULFA militants belonging to the ‘28th Battalion’ led by Mrinal Hazarika arrived in New Delhi to hold discussions with the Union Government. According to sources, the delegation is expected to meet a cross-section of political leaders and opinion makers to elucidate their views on a negotiated settlement of the militancy problem.

• January 29: Two Police personnel and one ULFA militant were killed in an encounter in the Sivasagar District. According to Police sources, the encounter took place at Bengenabari area under Sonari Police station when a joint patrol party of the Police and Army was attacked by the ULFA militants. Assistant Sub-Inspector Bhim Prasad Upadhaya and Constable Debojit Borgohain were killed on the spot, while the slain ULFA militant is yet to be identified.

• January 28: The SFs in Jorhat and Lakhimpur districts have called for commando back-up as they got ready for an operation against a group of 40 ULFA militants, holed up in one of the chaporis (sandbars) of Majuli Island. The group is led by Rajib Das, the Majuli unit commander of the outfit.

• January 27: The pro-talks group of the ULFA, under the leadership of Jiten Dutta, accused the Indian Army of trying to derail the peace process by luring its cadres away from the designated camps to surrender. "We have definite information that some cadres, including those who had fled with weapons from our designated camps, are with the army and are likely to surrender in the days to come," said Jiten Dutta. However, rejecting the allegations, the General-Officer-Commanding (GOC) of the Dinjan-based Second Mountain Division, Major General Jatinder Singh, said: "These are all loose talk and the army never gets entangled in such issues."

• January 25: A suspected ULFA cadre was arrested by the Police from Chabua in Dibrugarh.

  SF shot dead an unidentified militant of ‘709 battalion’ of ULFA at Dimakuchi in the Udalguri District. One 9mm pistol and an IED were recovered from his possession.

  Eight NDFB militants and two ULFA cadres surrendered before the Superintendent of Police of Golaghat District. The ULFA militants were identified as 'sergeant major' Pritam Doley alias Mickel Singh and cadre Polash Jyoti Baruah. The eight NDFB militants were identified as Ajoy Khaklari, Sanjoy Boro, Pabitra Basumatary, Nayan Basumatary, Parimal Khaklari, Arabinda Daimary, Sanjeev Khaklari and Binanda Khaklari. They laid down one .22riffle, one 9-mm pistol and one .32 pistol along with six cartridges with magazines.

  Three cadres of the 'Alpha' and 'Charlie' companies of ULFA's '28 battalion' who had managed to escape from their designated camps in the night of January 23, said oppression and ill-treatment by their leaders, specifically Jiten Dutta, forced them to desert the pro-talks group. The cadres said they had been expelled because they had opposed Dutta's "autocratic" ways.

• January 23: One ULFA cadre, identified as Arup Nayak alias Nelo, was arrested by the SF personnel from Borpatra area under Borhat Police Station in the Sivsagar District.

  SFs arrested an ULFA cadre, Hareswar Das, from Diajiri in the Kokrajhar District. Two hand grenades were recovered from his possession. Based on his confession, Police arrested two more persons, Mohammad Sabjal Ali and Mohammad Kazia Akhan, from Kauniabhasa in the same district. A handmade pistol and six rounds of ammunition were recovered from them.

  Three ULFA cadres, Himalay Bora alias Arun Baruah, Bolin Moran alias Rinku and Tapan Gogoi alias Kanak alias Kalpa, managed to escape from their designated camps.While Arun escaped from the Moran-based camp, Rinku and Kalpa managed to escape from the Kakopathar camp.

• January 21: The SFs arrested one 'corporal' of the ULFA, identified as Dipen Buragohain alias Bubu Gogoi, from Raghuguri village in the Sivasagar District.

One ULFA cadre, identified as Uday Bharali, escaped from the Sadiya designated camp of Tinsukia District with an AK-56 rifle. The SFs, in the past month, have reportedly voiced concern on the disappearance of some cadres of ULFA's 'Alpha and Charlie' companies from the designated camps.

• January 19: Police in Dibrugarh District recovered three Universal Machine Guns, one AK 47 rifle, 10 magazines, and 200 rounds of live ammunition buried underground amid bamboo groves in the Mahmora village under Namrup Police station. The District Superintendent of Police said, "Police intelligence has information about more weapons being concealed at unknown places and so search operations will continue." He refused to elaborate whether the recovered items belonged to the ULFA.

A ULFA linkman, Girish Saikia, was arrested from Sonari in Sivasagar District. He was reportedly working for the outfit's 28^th battalion.

• January 18: Four ULFA cadres were killed in two separate operations by the Police and the Army at Khoya village in the Kamrup (Rural) District. In the first incident, two militants belonging to the group's 709 battalion were moving to Guwahati from Nalbari when the encounter took place. Two pistols, two Austrian grenades, three detonators, two IEDs and 500 grams of ammonium nitrate were seized from the slain militants.

Two militants, also belonging to the 709 battalion, were killed by Army personnel at Samukha village under Kamalpur Police station in the Baska District. The SFs seized two 9 mm US-made pistol, two electronic detonators and several extortion notes from the slain militants.

An ULFA militant was arrested by SFs from his residence at Panitema village in the Baska district.

• January 17: A huge quantity of arms and ammunition, including 27 AK series and Chinese rifles, belonging to the ULFA was recovered by the Police in the Tinsukia district. On a tip-off, Police from Dibrugarh District along with their counterpart from neighbouring Tinsukia District launched a joint operation at the Boholram village in the Kukurmara Sadiya area of Tinsukia District, Dibrugarh Superintendent of Police Anurag Agarwala told journalists in Dibrugarh.

• January 14: Police arrested a militant of the ULFA, Jayanta Kalita, from Lalmati in the Basistha area of Guwahati city. He had joined the outfit around four years ago. The Police also detained Bhabani Deka, owner of Kalita's rented house at Lalmati.

• January 13: A ULFA militant, identified as Tapan Das, was killed during an encounter with Security Forces at Geetanagar locality of Guwahati city. The slain militant was involved in the abduction and subsequent killing of FCI executive P.C. Ram in July 2007. Police said Das, belonging to the outfit's 709th battalion, was trained in sophisticated arms and bomb-making techniques and was involved in several bomb and grenade explosions in the city in the past few years.

46 militants, including 42 cadres of the NDFB and four belonging to the ULFA, surrendered at Bathoupuri in the Baksa District. Of the 42 NDFB militants who laid down arms before police at Mushalpur in Baksa, 20 are from the outfit's Borbori designated camp, including a number of "corporals" and "lance corporals", mostly from NDFB's 4th battalion. The group laid down two AK-56 series rifles with two magazines and 300 rounds of ammunition, two 9mm pistols with two magazines and 17 rounds of ammunition, two Chinese pistols, two revolvers, 10 Chinese grenades, 50 kilograms of TNT and one pen pistol with six rounds of ammunition. The surrendered ULFA militants included a woman cadre from the outfit's Enigma group, identified as Namita Kalita.

• January 12: The Assam Government stated in the Legislative Assembly that eight militant groups, including the ULFA, KLNLF, Black Widow, AANLA, KRA, HuM, MULTA and HPC-D, are active in the State. Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain said that both the ULFA and NDFB are carrying out subversive activities in Assam under the influence of foreign powers and top leaders of the outfit are staying abroad. He further said that in 2008, 124 militants belonging to various outfits were killed and over 1300 were arrested. The Security Forces also recovered 203 bombs and 202 grenades from the militants.

• January 11: In a four-page statement signed by 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua that was faxed to a section of the media, the ULFA claimed that an "infamous" "gang of six" police officers was responsible for the January 9 blast in the Maligaon locality of Guwahati city to malign the outfit's image.

• January 10: Two ULFA cadres were shot dead by Security Force (SF) personnel in two separate encounters at Maligaon in Guwahati and Baksa.

Police arrested three ULFA cadres from the Chandmari and Noonmati areas of Guwahati.

• January 5: Sonitpur Police arrested nine distributors and retailers of the Reliance Telecom Limited (RTL), who without proper verification provided SIM cards, which were used by the militants for the Guwahati serial blast on January 1. Police sources in Tezpur said that the investigation into the entire episode started after the Police got evidence of the militants, mostly ULFA cadres, using SIM cards issued in favour of fictitious names to coordinate subversive activities. Police also came to know that during the recent blasts in Guwahati the ULFA used two SIM cards issued by a retailer in Dhekiajuli.

Bharalumukh Police arrested six persons at Bhutnath from Rangiya in connection with the January 1 serial bomb blast. They were identified as Imran Choudhury, Sanjib Talukdar, Hemanta Phukan, Ganesh Kumar, Ravinder Singh and Tarun Kalita. Additional Superintendent of Police (city) Jayashri Khersa revealed that they had confessed their involvement in the bomb blast. While some of the arrested persons were ULFA cadres, the rest were linkmen of the outfit.

A woman cadre of the '28th battalion' of the ULFA, identified as 'sergeant major' Mridula Kachari alias Trishna, who was trained in Myanmar, was arrested by Police and 44 Field Regiment of Army at Sonari in the Sivsagar District after a brief encounter. Another ULFA cadre, Jun Sing, managed to escape from the encounter site.

The Home Department said the State Government had pointed out to the Union Government that several outfits, including ULFA, AANLA and Black BW, were taking refuge in the camps of NSCN-IM and NSCN-K in the neighbouring State of Nagaland. While some senior ULFA cadres were carrying out their activities from NSCN-K camps, militants belonging to the other two outfits were being hosted by the NSCN-IM in its camps. "However, given that the government is in a ceasefire with the two Naga outfits, it is Delhi's responsibility to ensure that their camps are not misused," a source said.

• January 4: The Assam Police arrested a ULFA cadre, Sanjeev Talukdar, from Rangiya. He is suspected to have supplied the explosives which were used in the January 1 serial bomb blasts in Guwahati. Following Sanjeeb’s confession, several other militants were also arrested. He used to reportedly act as a carrier for the ULFA’s ‘709 battalion’ and handed over the explosives to the main suspect of the blasts, Pranjal Deka, near Adabari bus station, days before the explosions took place in Guwahati. Police claimed that the deal between Pranjal and Sanjeeb was being co-ordinated by Khagen Kalita, self-styled ‘Sergeant Major’ of the outfit’s ‘709 battalion’ over phone.

• January 2: The Guwahati Police released the photograph of Pranjal Deka alias Biju Saraniya alias Bhambhal, a cadre of the ULFA’s 709th battalion, who according to security agencies, masterminded all the three blasts in Guwahati on January 1. Additional Superintendent of Police (City), Joyshree Khersa, said that Deka, who hails from Dwarkuchi village in Baksa District, is still holed up in the city along with at least five other ULFA militants. "Combing operation is on and we have intensified vigil across the State," Khersa said, adding that Deka is wanted in connection with several other recent blasts.

  The pro-talks group of the ULFA has reportedly given up the demand for sovereignty. In a press meet held at the designated camp at Kakopathar, the pro-talks group leader Mrinal Hazarika said they would now sit for talks with the Government within the framework of Indian Constitution.

• January 1: ULFA militants triggered serial bomb blasts in three different areas of Guwahati city, killing five persons, including a minor, and injuring 50 others. The first explosion took place around 2:25 PM (IST) in Birubari followed by high-intensity explosions in the Bhootnath area (5:25PM) and Bhangagarh area (5:40PM). The blasts were triggered hours before the scheduled arrival of Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram. "From prima facie evidences collected from the spot, it appears to be the handiwork of suspected ULFA militants," said Additional Superintendent of Police of Guwahati City, Debojit Deori. "The Birubari bomb, which was planted in a GMC dustbin near the Assam Association of Deaf office, was a low-intensity one. However, the subsequent blasts were aimed to cause maximum damage as they were planted in crowded areas," added Deori. Another unnamed Police official claimed that the bomb in the Bhootnath area was planted in a bicycle. Director General of Police, G.M. Srivastav, told The Hindu: "We had information that some cadres of the ULFA’s 709 battalion have entered the city to trigger blasts and we were hot on their trail. Under pressure in the form of stepped-up security, they dumped one bomb at a garbage bin in Birubari locality." He also said the ULFA wanted to demonstrate its presence ahead of Chidambaram’s visit.

2008

• December 29: A senior ULFA militant, identified as Hasmut Ali alias Jahangir Ali, surrendered before the East Garo Hills District Police at Bajengdoba in the State of Meghalaya. He laid down an AK-81 assault rifle, a hand grenade, three magazines and 71 rounds of AK ammunition. The militant was trained at several ULFA camps in Bangladesh bordering Garo Hills, and was made a ‘lance corporal of the 109 battalion’ of the outfit. He belonged to the 2006 batch of ULFA militants. The report adds that the ULFA has time and again been using the Garo Hills area for safe passage to and fro Bangladesh.

• December 28: The pro-talks faction of the ULFA which comprises cadres and leaders of the ‘Alfa’ and ‘Charlie’ companies of the outfit’s ‘28th battalion’ has set December 31 as the deadline for the top leaders of the outfit to take a decision to hold a dialogue with the Government of India.

• December 27: 19 ULFA cadres surrendered and joined the pro-talks group at Kakopathar camp in the Tinsukia District. Eight of the cadres were from the outfit’s ‘28th battalion’ headquarters based in Myanmar. They laid down weapons, including rocket-propelled gun, a light machine gun and a universal machine gun. "Most of the cadres lodged at the camps in Myanmar are uncertain about their future. That is why we chose to get out of the camps and join the pro-talks group," Dipankar Dutta, one of the cadres, said. "We have been planning the escape since we came know about the peace process," another cadre, Parashmoni Rajkhowa, said.

• December 23: Two ULFA cadres were shot dead and a woman cadre wounded in an encounter with a joint team of East Garo Hills District Police and Kumaon Regiment personnel at Gambil Apel. The slain ULFA cadres were identified as A.K. Barman Rabha and Bikash Majumdar, both hailing from Assam. The wounded woman cadre, identified as Teji Mala Rabha, was arrested after the encounter. However, eight other ULFA cadres managed to escape from the encounter site. An AK-66 rifle, five magazines, 173 rounds of ammunition, a hand grenade, a mobile phone, five demand notes and other objectionable documents were recovered from the incident site. Police later arrested two ULFA sympathisers, Lebison A. Sangma and Laban C.H. Momin, from Gambil Apel.

• December 22: SFs reported that some cadres of the ‘A’ and ‘C’ companies of the ULFA’s ‘28th battalion’ had gone "missing" from their designated camps in upper Assam. SF sources said they were perturbed over the development accompanied by reports that these cadres may have actually returned to the outfit after remaining silent for the past six months. The ‘28th battalion’ had earlier declared a unilateral cease-fire in June 2008. According to official records, there are 133 cadres belonging to the ‘A’ and the ‘C’ company of the ‘28th battalion’ of the ULFA lodged in the four Government-run designated camps at Sadiya, Kakopathar, Moran and Nalbari. But the source said the recent head counts revealed that a few cadres were missing from the camps. A leader of the pro-peace group, Jiten Dutta, while accepting that some amount of frustration is bound to creep in among a section of the cadres, denied that some of them have fled and re-joined the outfit. A central intelligence official based in upper Assam said, "Some other cadres, too, are planning to return to the outfit frustrated over the slow progress of the peace process." Inputs from local sources indicated that the outfit has begun a fresh recruitment in all the three upper Assam Districts of Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat. There are also some attempts to recruit fresh members from Tinsukia and Dibrugarh Districts and from Dhemaji and Lakhimpur Districts. Simultaneously, the outfit has also started extortion once again, the official added.

• December 21: The ‘general secretary’ of the ULFA, Golap Barua alias Anup Chetia, has moved the United Nations for refugee status and political asylum in a safe country once he is out of Bangladesh jail where he is now under trial. The ULFA mouthpiece ‘Swadhinata (Freedom)’ in its latest issue which has been made available through the Internet, informed that Anup Chetia, now lodged in a Bangladesh jail, has moved the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee through its Bangladesh office for political asylum and refugee status in a safe country as he fears ‘danger to his life’ once out from the jail.

• December 19: One ULFA cadre, Mahesh Bora alias Biman Bora, was arrested at his village Nahorani under Jengraimukh Police Station in the Jorhat District.

• December 18: The Army personnel arrested one ULFA link man, identified as Memera Mech at Jakripoduli village under Haloating Police Station in the Sivasagar District. Two hand made grenades were recovered from the possession of the captured linkman.

• December 16: 38 militants belonging to different militant outfits of the North East, including the ULFA, NSCN-K, KLNLF, surrendered before Major General Jatinder Singh, General Officer in-Command of 2 Mountain Division, at its headquarter in Dinjan of Tinsukia District. Out of these, 16 were from ‘B’ company of ‘28th Battalion’ of ULFA, seven from ‘C’ company of ‘28th Battalion’ of ULFA, four from its headquarter, seven from NSCN-K and remaining four from KLNLF. Among the surrendered, there were two female cadres of ULFA. The surrendered militants handed over 35 weapons, including pistols, revolvers, rifles, and a cache of ammunition.

  Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram warned Bangladesh not to allow terrorist outfits from India to carry out anti-India operations from its territory. While speaking in Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament), he said, "The HuJI of Bangladesh had perpetrated the October 30 Asom serial blasts in which ULFA and NDFB were also involved," adding, most of the insurgent groups operating from the Northeast, including the ULFA, are based in Bangladesh. The Government had intelligence inputs that the ULFA and other insurgent groups in the Northeast have been working with the Bangladeshi terrorist outfit HuJI, the Home Minister added.

  The Union Government clarified that it had no dialogue with the self-styled ‘28th Battalion’ of the ULFA so far, reports Assam Tribune. According to the Government of Assam, two companies of ‘28th Battalion’ announced a unilateral cease-fire on June 24. Cadres of these two companies are staying in the designated camps set up by the State Government, said Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Radhika V. Selvi, in reply to a question by Narayan Chandra Borkataky in Parliament.

• December 15: Two ULFA militants, identified as Shibo Chetia and Rupantar Gogoi, were arrested by the Army personnel from Cheleng village and Balipara Gaon respectively under Naharkatia Police station in the Dibrugarh District. One pistol and six rounds of ammunition were recovered from them.

• December 11: SFs arrested a ULFA militant, Babul Deka alias Pulok Deka, from the Udalguri District.

• December 10: Two women cadres of the ULFA, identified as Bandita alias Karabi Phukan of Mahmora Bhalukoni under Kakotibari Police station and Satyama Bailung alias Niharika a.k.a. Mamu of Timou Dabakhatia under Kakotibari Police Station, were arrested by Mathurapur Police of Charaideo subdivision in the Sivasagar District.

• December 9: Assam Government announced a monetary package to rehabilitate and sustain the pro-peace ULFA cease-fire group. The package will be funded from both the central and the state Government fund in the initial phase so that time is not wasted in getting clearance. The group had asked for INR 3,000 for an unmarried cadre and INR 5,000 for a married cadre. The Centre now gives a consolidated stipend of INR 2,000 per month to a cadre in cease-fire period. Pro-peace leaders Mrinal Hazarika and Jiten Dutta welcomed this decision and termed it as positive.

• December 8: The Army launched an operation in Sivasagar to neutralise the ‘B Company’ of ULFA’s ‘28 battalion’ and liberate Upper Assam from the clutches of the outfit. Army source said the operations were launched mid last week after authorities sent orders that no leniency be shown to ‘B company’ till its militants agree to a truce like the ‘Alpha and Charlie companies’, which declared a cease-fire in June 2008.

• December 6: Two ULFA militants were killed in an encounter with the SFs at Kurkarigaon under Kakotibari police station in the Sivasagar district. One of those killed was identified as Biraj Changmai. An AK-47 rifle and one 9mm pistol were recovered from the encounter site.

  An ULFA cadre, identified as Haresh Patmont alias Jyoti Patmont, was killed in an encounter with SFs at Gujarating in the Charaideo subdivision of Sivasagar district. SFs also arrested another ULFA cadre, Kiron Jyoti Gogoi, and recovered two 9mm pistol, one grenade, three magazines, one mobile phone, 15 live ammunition and INR 45,000 from the encounter site.

• December 5: An ULFA bomb expert and ‘lieutenant’ of its ‘709 battalion’, identified as Tapan Rai, was shot dead in an encounter with a joint team of the army and police at Belguri in Kokrajhar district. One AK-47 rifle with two magazines of 16 rounds of live ammunition was recovered from his possession.

• December 4: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the probe into the October 30 serial blasts in Assam has established the involvement of the ULFA and NDFB. During a press conference, he said, "We have evidence up to the level of ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah and NDFB ‘supremo’ Ranjan Daimary. But to get to the real brains behind the blasts, we need Central assistance, as we cannot go to the neighbouring countries where the ULFA and NDFB are having bases." Gogoi further said that the State’s militant outfits operating from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar had become "pawns in the hands of the HuJI, ISI and other forces" inimical to the State’s and country’s interests.

• November 29: A joint team of 66 Field Regiment of Army and police arrested a ULFA militant, identified as Debanta Saikia, from Sapekhati in the Sivasagar district.

• November 28: The ULFA was on an extortion drive in the upper Assam districts. A number of demand notes in ULFA’s pad were sent to a section of the doctors and businessmen of Sivasagar town. The demand notes bear the signature of Montu Saikia alias Bijoy Das, who is the ‘in-charge of finance’ of the ULFA in the district. Meanwhile, the police said that the demand notes are fake and do not resemble the usual ULFA demand notes. Police sources have, however, confirmed reports of ULFA’s extortion drive in the district and said that a four-member ULFA group under Montu Saikia has entered the district with intent to carry out extortion.

• November 27: An attempt made by the ULFA militants to abduct an Afghan money lender from Aidoba area of Dhubri district was foiled when he managed to escape.

• November 26: A joint team of police and the Army arrested one ULFA militant, Debendra Saikia from Moranhabi village under Sapekhati police station in the Sivasagar district. Another ULFA militant, ‘self-styled sergeant major’ Amar Kakoti alias Kushal Konwar, was arrested by security personnel from Majulipur under Jonai police station in the Lakhimpur district on the same day. One 9-mm pistol and ammunition were recovered from his possession.

• November 25: Troops of 37 Assam Rifles arrested a United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) cadre during a search operation along Lungwa-Phomching road in the Mon district on November 25, according to Nagaland Post. He was identified as Dhanti Dutta of Sonari in Assam. A 303 rifle along with magazine and 10 live rounds and other incriminating documents were recovered from his possession.

  Telegraph quoting Meghalaya Police source reports that that the ULFA and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants are using the Liberation of Achik Elite Force (LAEF) cadres to make crude bombs. Police recovered five crude bombs along with other arms and ammunition and incriminating documents from the nine LAEF militants arrested in the Ri-Bhoi district bordering Assam on November 18. They suspect that the LAEF militants were making a base in a forest area near Pilangkatta in the Ri-Bhoi district and were seeking logistic support from the ULFA and NDFB cadres.

• November 24: Two ULFA militants, identified as Hira Gogoi alias Debojit Dutta and Dipu Saikia alias Dipu, surrendered at the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Golaghat district. They also laid down a revolver, an AK-47 and 30 rounds of ammunition.

• November 23: The Sivasagar police and army personnel recovered a cache of explosives, including 10 kilograms of RDX, from the residence of a person, Shivlal Sarmah, at Hunaipur Soraihojiya under Geleki police station, after an encounter with the ULFA militants. However, the militants who took shelter at Shivlal’s residence managed to escape from the incident site.

  Telegraph reports that the ULFA and NSCN-K are holding joint training sessions in the Lohit, Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh fearing possible army crackdowns in Assam and Nagaland. A group of 30 newly recruited ULFA cadres are undergoing a two months’ advanced training in villages bordering Changlang and Myanmar under the supervision of ‘sergeant commander’ Anjan Borthakur of the ‘B company of 28 battalion’ of the ULFA, the outfit’s ‘publicity secretary’ Michael Deka and the commander of NSCN–K Siv Konyak. "After two months of training, the cadres will head for Myanmar to join other group members. It is an alarming trend. This is the first time that Ulfa and NSCN (K) are jointly conducting such advanced training courses in the state," a police source said. The villages in Mahadevpur circle of Lohit district, Ponchau circle of Tirap district and Bordumsa circle of Changlang district are the outfits’ new havens. Both groups have held recruitment drives in Lohit and received ‘satisfactory response’, sources said. The report added that altogether 40 new cadres were recruited in Mahikong, Malemna, Maling, Manchal areas under Mahadevpur circle in the district. The NSCN-K also recruited about 20 cadres from Khanu, Khasa, Bonya, Konnu and Konsa areas of Tirap district in the past three months. The ULFA has also begun a fresh recruitment drives in Borkhet Chaimu, Chamro and Changlai villages of Changlang district. The report also said that the stretch from Chessa to Chengmara along the Arunachal-Assam border is used by militants from Assam as an escape route.

• November 21: Assam Police arrested a person, Nikhil Rai, from his residence at Bangiamari village in the Dhubri district for his suspected links with the ULFA.

• November 20: An unidentified ULFA militant was shot dead by security force personnel during an encounter on the embankment of Bornadi at Hindu-Moijali village under Baihata Chariali police station in the Kamrup district.

• November 19: A self-styled ‘sergeant major of the 28 battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as Ram Singh alias Mintu Borgohain, was arrested by the Sivasagar district police and 318 Field Regiment of the Army during a joint search operation at Jabalating under Bokota Nemoguri police station.

  The Army and police during a joint search operation arrested a militant Golap Ali of Alibari under Palasbari police station in the Kamrup district. Gelatine sticks, detonators and a copy of an extortion note of the ULFA were recovered from his possession.

• November 16: The investigation into the Assam serial blasts of October 30 has revealed a close nexus between the ULFA and NDFB with Bhutan-based Maoist rebel groups, reports Assam Tribune. Police sources said that the ULFA and NDFB are against the Bhutan Government because of the Operation All Clear launched against the outfits in 2003, while the Maoist groups are strongly opposed to the move of the Government of the neighbouring country to evict a sizeable number of Nepali populations from southern Bhutan. In recent years, the ULFA and NDFB extended help to the Maoist groups active in Bhutan by providing them with explosives. These facts came to light following the arrest of a Bhutanese national, Tenzing Zengpo, during investigations into the serial blasts. Zengpo was arrested along with one of the suspects in the case in Guwahati city. During interrogation, the Bhutanese national admitted the long association they had with the ULFA and NDFB. Sources revealed that Zengpo was earlier the general secretary of the Druk National Congress of Bhutan and is currently associated with Maoist groups active in Bhutan.

• November 15: The troops arrested one ULFA militant, Pradip Kumar Roy, from Koimari village in the Kokrajhar district.

• November 14: The investigations into the October 30 blasts in Assam revealed that the ULFA has once again found its way into Bhutan. Police sources said that they had information about an ULFA camp on Bhutanese territory near Barpathar village in Assam’s Chirang district. Two top rank cadres of ULFA’s ‘709 battalion’, identified as self-styled ‘second lieutenant’ Baba Rabha and ‘sergeant major’ Kushal Das, are the in-charge of the camp that has around 150 cadres. Police suspect that the commandant of the ‘4th battalion’ of the NDFB, Ritikhang, is hiding in that camp.

• November 13: An IED weighing 10 kilograms was recovered at Jaboka under Sonari police station in the Sivasagar district on Sonari-Namtola road during a joint operation by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Army and Police personnel. The bomb was planted in a pressure cooker under a culvert. Security personnel also recovered a 30-metre wire and four batteries from the spot. It is suspected that the ‘28th battalion’ of ULFA had planted the bomb.

• November 11: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in a press conference at Guwahati said that the investigations revealed clear indications of the involvement of the cadres of the ULFA and NDFB in the October 30 serial bomb blasts. He also said that forces based outside the country might have extended support to the militant groups to carry out the operation. However, he said that it is not clear which force from outside provided help to the ULFA and NDFB militants as a number of anti-India groups have their bases in Bangladesh. He also expressed the view that no force from outside would be able to carry out any major attack in the State without the help of the "local militant groups."

  November 10: The Darrang district police arrested an ULFA militant, Neela Deka alias Chamappa, for his involvement in the killing of a surrendered ULFA cadre.

• November 9: A ULFA linkman, Tutul Borgohain, was arrested by a joint force of Army and Sivasagar District Police from Loraphuta village. A mobile handset with a SIM card containing phone numbers of ULFA cadres was recovered from his possession.

  After remaining silent for about three months, the ULFA has launched a fund-raising drive in Sivasagar district, reports Sentinel. According to reports, the ULFA has sent at least 15 extortion letters to businessmen and ONGC employees of the town. Police sources confirmed the reports and said a four-member ULFA group under the leadership of Montu Saikia has entered the district. The group also had a woman ULFA cadre, sources added. After the ceasefire by ‘A’ and ‘B’ companies of 28 battalion of the ULFA, all the companies under the battalion were merged and Sujit Mohan was appointed as the "commander" of the 28 battalion. Montu Saikia has been given the charge of finance in the district, and all the extortion letters bear the signature of Sujit Mohan.

  The investigating agencies had found clues that ULFA and NDFB carried out the Assam serial blast of October 30 with the help of Bangladesh-based HuJI. "We have found that the Bangladesh-based HuJI has provided the expertise to ULFA and NDFB as none of them has the technology to explode such devastating bombs which claimed 84 lives," a Home Ministry official said. Home Ministry sources also added that the government is worried over the fact that the northeast militants has started using a deadly mixture of RDX, ammonium nitrate and plasticised explosives to carry out explosions which led to greater casualties which was never seen in the past. Though the operation was masterminded by HuJI at the behest of the ISI, the NDFB and ULFA had provided logistical support.

• November 7: One unidentified ULFA militant was killed in an encounter with Army at Lakhipur under Borbori police station in the Baksa district. One 9mm pistol with 3 rounds live ammunition, some incriminating documents, about 2 Kilograms of explosive substances and the motor cycle used by them recovered from the slain militants.

  The Assam Police arrested three militants of ULFA along with nine kilograms of TNT at Kolia Bhomora Bridge over the Brahmaputra in the Tezpur district.

• November 6: Army arrested a ULFA linkman, Bhogeswar Panging of Chenimiora village under Sivasagar police station following the confessions made by Parikshit Gogoi, an ULFA militant who was arrested on November 3 from Panbessa village.

  The Tripura Government has submitted a comprehensive report to the Union Home Ministry on terrorists backing militant outfits in the region, especially Asom-based ULFA and Tripura-based ATTF, State Home Department sources said. According to reports, the issue was also discussed at a high-level security review meeting, chaired by National security Advisor M K Narayanan, with police chiefs of the region. It was also revealed at the meeting that the blasts in Asom were reportedly carried out by Bangladesh-based HuJI in coordination with local outfit ULFA and serial bomb blasts in Agartala were attributed to ATTF-ULFA combine. The report also states that Pakistan-based ISI, Al-Qaeda and Bangladesh-based HuJI. The militants were using Sonamura, Agartala and Kailashahar in Tripura and Karimganj and towns of upper Asom for entering India.

• November 5: The officials investigating the October 30 serial bomb blasts in Assam said that the ULFA was behind the attack.

• November 4: A joint team of the Army and Police arrested Parikshit Gogoi of ‘B Company’ of the ULFA’s ‘28 battalion’ in the Sivasagar district along with more than 1kg RDX, a pistol and a grenade.

  The 318 Field Regiment of the Army arrested one ULFA militant, Mrinal Kanti Cheleng from Khamung gaon under Kakotibari police station in the same district.

• November 3: A surrendered ULFA cadre, Sanjib Baruah, was shot dead by the militants of the same outfit in the Darrang district.

  A joint team of Army and Assam Police arrested a militant of the ‘709 battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as Mohan Das. The arrested militant had taken shelter at the residence of an ULFA linkman, Mantu Kalita, at Niznamati village under Barama police station in the Nalbari district, reports Telegraph. Police also arrested three other ULFA linkmen, Bhaskar Kalita, Sourav Kalita and Vikash Kalita, in this connection.

  The Army arrested one ULFA linkman, Lachit Rajkonwar, from his residence at Bengenabari in Charaideo subdivision of Sivsagar district.

• October 31: Security personnel while probing a possible HuJI-ULFA link to the October 30-serial blasts arrested over 20 suspects including two vehicle owners. According to police sources, Asib Mohammed Nizami and Zulfikar Ali, who are the owners of two vehicles in which the bombs were concealed in Ganeshguri area of the city and Bongaigaon, were arrested from Jhuria Dagaon in the Nagaon district. "While suspecting the hand of the Bangladesh-based HuJI outfit, police claimed to have got clues that the blasts were carried out by people having local links", a top Assam police official said.

  Pro-peace ULFA leader Prabal Neog denied the outfit’s alleged role in the October 30-serial blast in Assam. Neog said that, "This is an act of total inhumanity and the state government will have to take the entire responsibility for this disaster. ULFA had never targeted innocents during its operations. Our target was always the security forces, government establishments, Oil and railway installations". There must be some external forces behind this blast, he further added. Moreover, ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua, also denied ULFA’s role in the blast.

• October 30: A total of 77 persons were killed and about 300 injured in 13 near-simultaneous blasts in Assam capital Dispur and adjoining city Guwahati and three other districts- Kokrajhar, Barpeta, and Bongaigaon. Police said that the involvement of jihadi groups like the Bangladesh-based HuJI-B militants cannot be ruled out. The police are also examining whether the ULFA was involved in the blasts.

  The ULFA in an e-mail statement denied its hand in the blasts and alleged that a section of the government officials deliberately blamed the outfit to derail the possible peace process.

• October 27: The Mangaldai police arrested one militant of the ULFA, when he was coming to collect extortion money of INR 150,000 from a Junior Engineer of Mangaldai town in the Darrang district. Later the militant was identified as Sanjay Barman of Namsala village under Sarthebari police station in the Barpeta district.

  A self-styled ‘sergeant major’ of ‘109th battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as Niren Das alias Jibon Das, surrendered before Deputy Commissioner R.C. Jain and Superintendent of Police Debajit Hazarika in the Kamrup district.

• october 26: Around 30 militants led by a self-styled ‘sergeant major’ Rafel Maradona of the ‘709th battalion’ of the ULFA declared cease-fire. The report added that they are camping at a designated area in Moiradonga.

  Security forces located a training camp run by the ULFA at Bakapura in the Sherpur district across the international border with Meghalaya. The camp was located following the arrests and surrender of a few cadres who came to Assam from that camp. The report added around 150 ULFA militants, including middle rank leaders such as Antu Chowdang, Pradyut Gohain and Drishti Rajkhowa, are hiding in the camp. The intelligence sources mentioned that the ULFA must be receiving direct or indirect help from the DGFI or from the BDR as it would not have been possible for the militant group to run a camp so close to the international border.

• October 25: Five ULFA militants and a soldier were killed during an encounter between a joint team of the Army and CRPF personnel and militants at Mahina village in the Nalbari district. The slain militants, including one identified as Corporal Sanjit Sarania, belonged to the ‘709th battalion’ of the ULFA. One kilogram of RDX, four pistols, two grenades, one radio set, 29 rounds of live ammunition, one K.G. of urea, two IEDs, nine detonators, five magazines of SLR and fuse wires were recovered from the encounter site.

• October 24: Police has established direct links with Hira Sarania, leader of the ‘709th battalion’ of the ULFA, to bring overground the last potent fighting arm of the outfit. Police sources said "though Sarania had not committed himself for peace but not rejected the idea either". "He had not snapped communication with us, which itself raises a lot of hope", unidentified Police sources said. The ‘sergeant major’ of ULFA, Bhaskar Rajbongshi, who surrendered in Guwahati a couple of months back, was acting as the link between the police and the battalion commander. After his surrender, Rajbongshi got in touch with Sarania to persuade him to follow the path of the leaders of the 28th battalion.

  The ULFA accused Jiten Dutta, a senior pro-talks leader of 28th battalion, of killing many innocent people, while he was in the outfit, to destroy the image of the outfit with the help of Indian security force. The accusation comes in the wake of protests by civilians in Kakopathar area of Tinsukia district over the killing of youths in the Kumsang reserve forest on September 30. The statement also mentioned that the killing was carried out without the knowledge of the outfit’s top leadership. The ULFA spokesperson said that protests in Kakopathar against the outfit over the killings were also instigated by Dutta.

• October 22: A ULFA militant, Diganta Buragohain, was arrested by the Guwahati city Police when he came to collect money from a city-based trader.

  Hundreds of people, including women and the elderly, led by various organisations, gathered in front of Kakopathar Boys Higher Secondary School and staged a protest in the incident of killing of five Assamese youths by the ULFA, whose decomposed bodies and skeletons were found in Kumsang reserve forest on September 30. This protest showed that the ULFA had loosen its feet in the Dibrugarh district especially in Kakopathar area, where the outfit had enjoyed unflinching support, till the mass grave at their erstwhile camp was discovered.

• October 21: The Government of India had clarified that it has not received any ‘formal proposal’ from ULFA for direct talks. The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Radhika V Selvi in a reply to the question by Narayan Chandra Borkotoki in Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) said that "The Government of India is open to talks with any militant groups including ULFA provided that they should stop violence first".

• October 17: Police arrested a surrendered ULFA cadre, Dipen Barhoi, on charges of extortion at Mariani in the Jorhat district.

  ULFA is recruiting new cadres under the ‘supervision’ of the self-styled ‘commander’ of the ‘28th Battalion’, Bijoy Chinese, and ‘Lieutenant’ Antu Saudang, in the Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat districts. The report added that the new recruits are being sent to Myanmar for training under the ‘guidance’ of ULFA senior cadre Jiban Moran. As a result of this recruitment drive, the number of trainees at Myanmar camp since the announcement of ceasefire by two companies of the 28th battalion of ULFA has reportedly increased to 130 cadres, who are being trained by Jiban Moran. Intelligence sources further claimed that more than 40 new recruits from Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts were sent to Myanmar camp for training.

• October 16: Unidentified militants killed a civilian, identified as Ratul Das at Quarry Chowk under Mushalpur police station in the Baksa district.

• October 15: Three ULFA militants, Indrajit Roy from Baterhat, Nihar Barua from Coochbehar and Sheikh Mohammed from Chapor were arrested by the 21st Jat Regiment in Dhubri district. One US-made 7.65 mm pistol, 2 magazines, six rounds of live ammunition and one mobile set with SIM cards were recovered from their possession, who ran an extortion racket.

• October 14: Troopers of the Red Horns Division of the Army arrested two suspected ULFA cadres from the Agomoni areas under Golokganj police station in Dhubri district. One 9-mm pistol, six rounds of live ammunitions, two mobile sets were recovered from the two militants.

  Investigations have pointed at the involvement of ULFA in the October 1 serial blast in the Tripura capital, Agartala. Interrogation of ATTF collaborators Shanti Debbarma, Angad Santhal and a third arrested person, Brajamohan Debbarma the father of hardcore ATTF militant Surjya has revealed that ULFA militants had provided primary training in the use of explosives to a group of ATTF militants, besides supplying them bomb-making materials. CID’s report said that Surjya Debbarma masterminded the blasts. The investigation further revels that a group of ATTF activists, including Surjya, had undergone primary training in use of explosives under the guidance of ULFA, before being intensively trained by a group of BDR and Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) officers at Muksinghat near Chittagong town in Bangladesh in August and September. The ATTF had received a consignment of bomb-making materials from ULFA in their hideout at Satcherri just across the border in Simna area of Sadar (north) and the materials had been carried across the border by two tea garden labourers of Satcherri, Mohan Munda and Mangal Munda, under the supervision of Surjya.

• October 13: One Girish Kalita of Belguri Pathar village under Mushalpur police station in the Nalbari district was shot dead at Lamidara by two unidentified assailants. Kalita was an ULFA activist who surrendered at the Tamulpur Army Camp three months back.

  Three militants, one each from NDFB, AANLA and ULFA, surrendered before Brigadier VSBS Cherukupalli, Commander of 25 Sector Assam Rifles of Dah Division, at Lekhapani in Tinsukia district. The surrendered militants were identified as Ajay Basumatary of NDFB, Ghanshyam Guala of AANLA and Hemakant Deka of ULFA’s ‘27 Battalion’.

  The former ‘commander’ of the pro-talk faction of the 28th Battalion of the ULFA, Mrinal Hazarika has said that former ‘commander’ of A and C companies of ULFA Jiten Dutta is in no way involved in the killing of four youths whose decomposed bodies were recovered on September 30 from a mass grave at Kakopathar in the Tinsukia district. He also alleged that the present ‘commander’ of the 28 Battalion Bijoy Chinese was directly involved in the killing. Hazarika further disclosed that the youths were killed on charges of supplying all information to Army by then ‘commander’ of the A company, Arun Baruah on the direct instruction of Bijoy Chinese.

  After neutralising two fighting wings of the ULFA, the 28 and 709 battalions, the government now has set its sights on the 109 battalion which is the logistics division of the outfit. This ‘battalion’ operates out of Goalpara district and its adjoining areas across the Assam-Meghalaya border. The 109 battalion mainly looks after the logistical requirements of ULFA, men and weapons and helps the rebels from Assam to cross over to Bangladesh. It also arranges passage for cadres from the neighbouring country to the state through the Garo hills of Meghalaya.

• September 30: The dead bodies of four youths were recovered from a mass grave in the reserve forest at Kakopathar in the Tinsukia district, where makeshift camps of the ‘28th battalion’ of the ULFA were located a few months ago. The mass grave was suspected to be the dumping ground of dead bodies of those who had been abducted and later killed by the ULFA militants.

  The Army killed a ULFA militant at Rangali Botuwagaon under Kakotibari police station in the Sivasagar district. A 9-mm pistol, three live rounds, 600 grams of explosives, four detonators, four bundles of wires, clothes and documents were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.

• September 29: The cease-fire group of ‘28 battalion’ of the ULFA asked Assam Government to call off army operations from Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts of upper Assam on an "experimental basis" to give the peace process a chance.

• September 28: The Guwahati city police arrested ULFA militant, Pranjal Saika from the area under the Fatasil Ambari police station and recovered a hand-made pistol from his possession.

• September 26: A ULFA militant was killed during an encounter with security forces in the Baksa district. A pistol, several rounds of ammunition and some documents were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.

• September 25: The dead body of Manashjyoti Dutta, son of a co-operative inspector, abducted by the ULFA militants from Nazira in Sivasagar district of Assam on September 8, was found from a place near Nazira police station. The ULFA militants had demanded INR 1.5 million for the release of Manashjyoti. The police arrested one Pradip Dutta, a relative of Manashjyoti in this connection.

• September 24: The security forces arrested one Tutu Saikia, an ULFA militant at Panbesa in the Sivasagar district. He was allegedly involved in the Rangghar Chariali blast.

• September 21: The Army personnel arrested a cadre of the 709 battalion of the ULFA, identified as Prafulla Roy, of Kukshi village under Fakiragram police station in Kokrajhar district. Two IED each weighing three kilograms were recovered from his possession and were later defused by bomb squad.

• September 19: In a statement from Dibrugarh, the former ‘self-styled commander’ of ULFA Prabal Neog, questioned the decision of the Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, not to withdraw army from the State. Neog is one of the leading figures of the pro-peace ULFA faction.

• September 18: ULFA militants killed an alleged Army informer, Pramod Baishya, at Chengapathar village under Kalaigaon police station in the Udalguri district.

  An improvised explosive device (IED) planted on a bicycle exploded inside Bijni circle office compound in the Chirang district injuring 22 persons. The ULFA is suspected to be involved in the incident.

• September 16: The Army said that Shashankar Baruah, who was killed in the September 12 encounter with the troops in Dirak Reserve Forest Area near Margherita in the Tinsukia district, was involved in re-organisation of the ULFA.

• September 15: An ULFA militant, identified as Uddhab Rai, was arrested by the security forces during a joint operation at Golokganj area in the Dhubri district

• September 12: Troops of the 19 Kumaon Regiment killed a ULFA militant, identified as ‘second lieutenant" Sasanka Baruah alias Ananta Gogoi, during an encounter inside Upper Dehin-Derak Reserve forest in the Tinsukia district along the Assam-Arunachal border. He was reportedly the ‘organisational secretary of the 28 battalion’ of the outfit. An AK-56 rifle and a magazine with four live rounds and 26 empty cartridges were recovered from the encounter site.

  In a statement mailed to the media, the ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa declared ‘expulsion’ of Prabal Neog from the outfit for his alleged conspiracy in killing of Sasanka Baruah.

• September 8: The Nalbari police recovered an IED near National Highway-31 from a bus on way to Nalbari from Rangiya in the Kamrup district. Two suspected paid bomb couriers of the ULFA, identified as Siraj Ali and Baputi Das, were arrested in this connection.

• September 5: A cadre of the ‘709 battalion’ of the ULFA, identified as Dhan Kalita alias Joon was arrested by Guwahati city police during a search operation at Amingaon area.

• September 2: ULFA militant, Gajen Malakar was shot dead by security forces during an encounter at Dakshin Singra near Rangia in the Kamrup district.

• August 31: An ULFA cadre, Rabi Rava, surrenders along with an AK-56 rifle at Udalguri Army camp. Rava is a cadre of the ‘27 battalion’ of ULFA. He had joined the outfit in 1996.

  Army arrested four ULFA linkmen while they were trying to extort INR 150000 from the manager of a tea garden in the Sisumaria area under Nampur police station in the Tinsukia district. They were identified as Kulinda Gogoi, Pintu Kisan, Kebal Bangra, and Rajesh Kisan.

• August 28: 39 militants, including 31 cadres of the ‘709 and 27 battalions’ of the ULFA, surrendered before the Army at the headquarters of the 21 Mountain Division at Rangia, about 45 kilometres way from Guwahati. The others included five KLNLF cadres and cadres from the AANLA. The surrendered militants deposited a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including pistols, revolvers, grenades, detonators and gelatine sticks.

• August 27: The pro-talks group of the ULFA starts negotiations with some of the prominent leaders of the ‘709 battalion’ in Nalbari. Jiten Dutta, self-styled commander of the ‘Alfa and Charlie companies of the 28 battalion’, said one round of talks is already over and he was expecting a formal announcement of cease-fire by leaders of the ‘709 battalion’ soon. "Right now we can only say that the discussions were along the expected lines," Dutta said.

• August 25: Guwahati Police arrested one Poornima Biswas and recovered two detonators, four gelatin sticks and 10 rounds of AK-47 ammunition from her possession. Biswas is originally from Malda in West Bengal and the police suspects that she has links with the ULFA.

• August 25: Two ULFA linkmen, identified as Nabacharan Koch and Samudra Rava of Jangipara and Baspara villages respectively, are arrested in a joint operation by the Army and police.

• August 23: The ULFA threatens its defected leader, Jiten Dutta, with dire consequences if the latter continues its efforts in collusion with police and the Army to engineer erosion in the ranks of different ‘battalions’ of the ULFA.

• August 22: Five ULFA linkmen, Rituram Boro, Sankar Deb Sangha, Dipesh Roy, Sanjoy Singha and Bipul Singha, are arrested in Bongaigaon. They are suspected to have been involved in bomb blasts in the district in the recent past.

• August 21: An unnamed senior police officer said the leadership of the ‘709 battalion’ of the ULFA was in contact with the police leadership and a formal cease-fire by the group was ‘likely very soon’.

  Two ULFA militants, Madhusudan Roy and Monu Roy, are arrested by the Army personnel during a search operation at Agomoni in the Dhubri district. 27 rounds of live ammunition of AK-47 rifles are recovered from them.

• August 20: The Nalbari district police arrested a cadre of the ‘709 Battalion’ of the ULFA, Bhaskar Rajbongshi, from Maligaon in Guwahati. Bhaskar said that he would not surrender but try his best to bring his co-cadres in the outfit to the negotiation table.

• August 18: Police arrested a ULFA cadre, Tajen Ray, from Tamuapara in the Bongaigaon district. A Bulgarian pistol with 39 live rounds and a Chinese grenade are recovered from him.

• August 17: Troops arrest three ULFA militants from Kokrajhar town. One pistol, one grenade, one AK series magazine and 11 live ammunitions are recovered from them.

• August 16: One suspected ULFA militant is wounded during an encounter with police personnel at Azara in Guwahati.

  Two bomb blasts are triggered by suspected ULFA militants at Swahidbedi and Paglathan in the Bongaigaon district.

• August 15: Two civilians are wounded in a bomb blast triggered by the ULFA at the Block Development Office near the venue of Independence Day celebration at Dharmasala in the Dhubri district.

  One bomb hanging on a tree on the parade ground at Gauripur town of Dhubri district explodes. Another blast occurs near the parade venue at Kajalgaon in the Chirang district when suspected ULFA militants lob a grenade. None were injured in these incidents.

  People chased a group of three ULFA militants while trying to destroy a flag hoisted on the premises of the Bhutiapara Lower Primary School in the Chirang district. Even as the militants opened fire to scare the public, the locals captured the two militants. One 9-mm pistol and some ammunition were recovered from them.

• August 13: Two ULFA militants are shot dead by Assam Police and the Army during an encounter at Sanyasini Pahar in the Bongaigaon district. Two German-made revolvers, two bullets, five empty cartridges and two mobile handsets with many SIM cards are recovered from the possession of the slain militants. Other militants manage to escape from the encounter site.

  SFs recovered RDX weighing 2.25 kilo grams in the form of 10 solid sticks with black coating from Borkona Pahar under Mancachar police station in the Dhubri district. Police suspect that the ULFA was ferrying the consignment.

• August 12: Two ULFA militants are shot dead by troops during an encounter at Chotemari in the Nalbari district. One 7.62-mm pistol, a bullet, a grenade and IEDs weighing five kilograms are recovered from the possession of the slain militants.

• August 11: One unidentified ULFA militant is shot dead by troops during an encounter at Paikan Madhapara in the Goalpara district. One IED weighing five kilograms with electronic detonators, a 7.65- mm pistol and three rounds of ammunition are recovered from his possession.

  Suspected ULFA militants lob a grenade at the office premises of the Bongaigaon District Superintendent of Police damaging a few windowpanes.

• August 10: Four militant groups - the ULFA, Manipur People’s Liberation Front, Tripura People’s Democratic Front and the KLO – ask people in the Northeast region to boycott the celebrations of Independence Day on August 15

• August 9: During a search operation to arrest an ULFA cadre, the SFs unearthed a bunker made of concrete wall at a bamboo grove at Pakamara village under Borbori police station in the Baksa district.

  Two IEDs planted by the suspected ULFA militants at Gouripur in the Dhubri district are recovered and later defused by the Army personnel. The report adds that the IED can be programmed in a manner that if the first detonator fails to trigger the explosion, the second one will get activated automatically. "This enhances the precision of the IEDs as well as making deactivation very risky. Timer devices are generally very erratic. Many a times they fail to explode because of a problem in programming. But in this kind of device, if one programme fails, it automatically activates the other," an unnamed Army explosive expert says.

• August 8: One ULFA linkman, identified as Jakir Hussain, was arrested during a joint operation by Army and Assam Police at Phuturigaon under Chaygaon police station in Kamrup district. A trans-receiver device with the capacity to intercept other radio messages within 30 kilometres range was also recovered from his possession..

• August 7: Suspected ULFA militants trigger a bomb blast in Bongaigaon damaging a portion of a drain.

  One suspected ULFA cadre, Subhrata Chanda, is arrested by the Guwahati Police from the Inter-State Bus Terminus. Two gelatine sticks and many detonators are recovered from his possession.

• August 5: Army arrested two ULFA cadres, Abdul Zumur Sheikh and Ismail Murmu, from Gossaigaon.

• August 4: A trooper of the Sashastra Seema Bal (a paramilitary force), Rana Sarma, is shot dead by suspected ULFA militants at Malihita on the Assam-Bhutan border under Chirang district.

• One senior ULFA leader and ‘commander’ of the outfit’s 109th battalion, Dharmen Hajong, who was arrested on August 2-night, allegedly committed suicide inside a cell at Tura police station in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. Police said he used his blanket to hang himself inside the cell. Hajong, who was originally from the 28th battalion, two months back replaced Madan Koch, killed in an encounter on January 22, as the ‘area commander’ of the 109th battalion in charge of Garo Hills, was mainly responsible for monitoring supply of arms and ammunition from Bangladesh to cadres in Assam via the porous Garo Hills border.

• August 2: A senior ULFA leader is arrested from Tura Super Market in Meghalaya. According to police sources, the ULFA leader, identified as Dharmen Koch, belonged to the 128th Battalion of the outfit and he had been running a shop in Tura Super Market for the past two months. During interrogation, Dharmen revealed that two months ago he received an order from the ULFA leadership to shift the Battalion to Myanmar since the atmosphere in Bangladesh was not conductive for the organisation. One week later, he was again asked to take over as 'area commander' of ULFA's 109th Battalion in Garo Hills from Madan Koch who was killed in a police encounter on January 22, 2007. Police said the 109th Battalion was involved in supplying arms to the ULFA from Bangladesh through Garo Hills. The Battalion also carried out extortion drives in the plain belt areas of Garo Hills.

• July 31: One ULFA cadre is arrested with a sophisticated digital mine along the Assam-Meghalaya border.

• July 30: Assam Tribune reported that the ULFA has business interests in a leading media house, the Transcom Media, in Bangladesh. Transcom Media is the publisher of the prestigious Bengali daily Prothom Alo, English daily The Daily Star, besides two periodicals. The report adds that the outfit‘s business interests are diverse – ranging from driving schools, nursing homes, hotels to garment export houses to deep-sea trawlers.

• July 27: The pro-talks leader of the ULFA, Prabal Neog, while addressing a gathering at Gondhoiguri in the Tinsukia district said that "a handful of leaders and cadres" cannot usher in peace in Assam.

• July 25: One trader, Pankaj Kumar Bezbaruah of Tihu area in Nalbari district, who was abducted by three United ULFA militants on July 3-evening, is released. Meanwhile, the Nalbari district All Assam Students Union secretary, Salim Malik, is arrested in this connection.

• July 23: Three cadres of the ULFA’s ‘709 battalion’ are killed in an encounter with Army and police at Namati village under Ghograpar police station in the Nalbari district.

• July 21: One ULFA linkman, Mukul Saikia, is arrested by the troops from the Dalang Ghat area in the Darrang district.

• July 20: The ULFA rules out peace talks with the Union Government in the near future, stating that it would go down fighting like the father of Naga insurgency A.Z. Phizo "rather than surrender to the Indian forces like (former Mizoram chief minister) Laldenga."

• July 19: An ULFA leader, Amrit Dutta, is killed in an encounter with the police at Katonihati Jurbil under the Jengraimukh police station in Jorhat district. However, two of his accomplices managed to escape. Amrit Dutta carried a head money of INR 300,000 and was responsible for the abduction and subsequent killing of Sanjay Ghose, an activist of the non-governmental organisation AVARD-NE in 1997.

  Police arrested a person, Ranjan Bikash Borgohain, from the residence of a Parliamentarian, Anowar Hussain, in New Delhi, while trying to extort money in the name of ULFA. Hussain is a Parliamentarian from the Dhubri constituency in Assam. Ranjan had contested the last Legislative Assembly elections from Tingkhong seat in Assam on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket.

• July 18 : The ULFA ideologue, Bhimkanta Buragohain, is remanded to 14 days judicial custody in connection with the various charges against him under the Arms Act. He is presented before the Tezpur Additional District Sessions Judge along with two other accomplices, Bolin Das alias Amarjyoti Gogoi and Amulya Roy, who were also awarded similar sentences.

  The former commander of ULFA’s 28 battalion, Mrinal Hazarika, addressing a gathering at the Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social Change and Development, said: "Come what may, we will not take up guns against our colleagues, even if we are attacked."

• July 11: The ULFA militants belonging to ‘A’ and ‘C’ companies of the ‘28 battalion’ led by Mrinal Hazarika start taking shelter at the designated camp set up at the jail complex of Chapakhowa under Sadiya sub-division in the Tinsukia district.

• July 10: The leader of the pro-talks faction of the ULFA, Moon Borah alias Jiten Dutta, said that they had proposed to set up a designated camp at Lakhipathar in the Tinsukia district.

• July 7: Two ULFA militants, Prasanna Bora and Mintu Bhuyan, are arrested by the Assam Police at Chardwar in the Sonitpur district. They were arrested while coming to one Jayanta Sen Deka, a Congress party leader of the area, to extort