January 1

The Karbi Anglong district president of the All-Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam, Anil Toppo, surrendered at Bokajan police station in the Karbi Anglong district.

January 3

One surrendered ULFA cadre and a Bharatiya Janata Party activist, identified as Jatin Lahkar, was shot at by two suspected ULFA militants at Datara under Ghograpar police station in the Nalbari district.

One surrendered cadre of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), identified as Raja Basumatary, was shot dead by another surrendered cadre of the same outfit, Bigrai Basumatary, at his rented house at Gwjunpuri in Kokrajhar town.

January 4

The dead body of a surrendered ULFA militant, Anil Kakati alias Dwip, was recovered near his residence at Udalbakra in the Sonaighuli area of Guwahati.

January 5

United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) ‘sergeant’ Swapna Baruah alias Swapna Moran was killed in an encounter with the army at Dirak Rongpuri village in the Tinsukia district.

Seven ULFA militants and three from the National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) surrendered at an army camp in the Tinsukia district. They deposited two 9mm pistols, a .22 pistol, a revolver, four grenades and ammunition of assorted weapons.

Security forces arrested two ULFA militants, Nikhil Bhuyan and Jadab Saikia, from Naginimora in the Sivasagar district. An unspecified quantity of RDX, INR 11,000 in cash and some incriminating documents were recovered from them.

January 6

One person, identified as Abdul Rehman Bepari, was injured when a bomb planted in his garage exploded at New Iddgah Colony in Dhubri town.

Golaghat police arrested three suspected agents of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s external intelligence, along with some American currency in their possession. According to police, the three persons, identified as Mohammed Ahmed Hussain, Ijal Haque and Abdul Khalek, were arrested while they were trying to exchange a bank draft of American dollar with a person in Golaghat.

January 7

A former ULFA militant, identified as Razizul Haque Byapari, who later joined the Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Asom (MULTA), surrendered before security force personnel in Guwahati. Byapari also deposited a 9 mm revolver with two rounds of ammunition.

A top leader of the NDFB, Sunil Brahma, was acquitted by the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) Court in Guwahati in connection with an attack by the group in the Kokrajhar district in 1994 that claimed 21 lives. The court acquitted him of all the charges levelled against him by the police stating that Brahma was not involved in this particular attack.

An Assamese poet, Santanu Sarma, was arrested at Malikuchi in Nalbari town on charges of writing seditious material for the ULFA and mobilising opinion against counter-insurgency operations. He was reportedly writing and editing material for the ULFA’s mouthpiece, Freedom.

January 8

Police arrested a top leader of the All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA), identified as Rupen Lakra, at Baghjan in the Bokajan town of Karbi Anglong district and recovered a huge cache of arms and explosives. The police later found a sten gun, three AK-47 rifles, an M16 rifle, two .315 rifle, two US-made carbines, a grenade launcher, four bombs, three rifle grenades, six hand grenades and a large amount of ammunition and assorted weapons in a nearby paddy field.

Sahen Brahma, a former Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) cadre was shot at by unidentified militants at Bagbor near Panbari in the Kokrajhar district. Jana Mohan Mashahary, president of the former BLT Welfare Society alleged that Brahma was attacked by a group of NDFB cadres.

January 9

Two ULFA militants, including a woman, surrendered before the police at a ceremony in Dibrugarh. They were identified as Bhaimon Changmai alias Nabin Dutta and Bina Payeng alias Rimi Bora. They also deposited a 9 mm pistol along with magazines and six live rounds of ammunition. Both militants were from the ULFA’s 28th battalion and handled communication between the outfit’s leaders and grassroots-level cadres.

January 10

Security forces killed a ULFA militant belonging to the Charlie Company of the 28^th battalion in an encounter at Ahukhat village under Makum police station in the Tinsukia district. The militant was identified as Corporal Puwali Dowerah alias Hiren Dowerah, a resident of Hatijan.

Rupen Lakra, the AANLA leader, who was arrested by the police on January 8-night, has reportedly admitted that the cache of arms and ammunition that was dug up from a paddy field after his arrest came from the NSCN-IM. Lakra told interrogators that the AANLA ‘commander-in-chief’ David Tirkey struck the arms deal a few months ago when he was in Dimapur in the guise of a pastor.

Two unidentified militants lobbed a grenade towards the Nanoi outpost in the Nagaon district. No injury or damage was reported in the incident.

January 11

Two Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) militants were killed by the security forces in Golaghat district. An AK 47 rifle and a pistol were recovered from them.

Security forces arrested a ULFA militant, identified as Raju Chetri alias Moni Subba, and a linkman, identified as Diganta Hazarika, near Tingali Bam Tea Estate under Sonari police station in the Sivasagar district.

Police arrested an ULFA militant, identified as Arjun Deka, in the western Baksa district and seized five French made timer devices.

January 12

Four railway workers were injured when suspected ULFA militants lobbed grenades on them at Rongsal in the Dibrugarh district.

Two members of the UNLF, a Manipur-based terrorist group, and their two Bangladeshi guides were arrested at Jorabat while they were proceeding to their camps in Bangladesh via Meghalaya.

January 13

At least 17 persons, including six security force personnel, were injured when suspected ULFA militants triggered a grenade explosion in front of the Paltan Bazaar police station near Guwahati railway station.

Three militants lobbed a grenade targeting an army camp at Halua under Borhat police station in the Sivasagar district. But the grenade exploded a few metres away from the camp and there was no casualty reported.

One ULFA militant, identified as Bitupan Moran, was arrested from Rajgarh tea estate in the Tinsukia district. One kilogram of explosives, including six live rounds of AK 56 and 15 rounds of assorted ammunition, were recovered from him.

January 14

Two security force personnel, Trolin Lamare and Suresh Koch, who were guarding the entrance to the Kopili powerhouse near Umrangsu town in the North Cachar Hills district, were shot dead by militants of the Black Widow (BW). Later, the militants opened fire killing a girl, Anamika, and wounding her mother, Junumai. Subsequently, two civilians, Sahadeb Nath and Jatia, were also killed and Sahadeb’s child, Ajay, was wounded when militants opened fire on them.

Seven persons, including three soldiers, were injured when two suspected ULFA militants lobbed a grenade targeting paramilitary personnel at Morigaon town.

A former BLT militant, Kabiranjan Basumatary, was shot at by an unidentified gunman at Bhatarmari under Kokrajhar police station. However, Basumatary managed to escape unhurt.

January 15

Security forces, while conducting a search operation in view of the coming Republic Day celebration, recovered a high power bomb from a passenger bus at Rongpur near Silchar in Cachar district.

January 16

A mob set ablaze a camp of former BLT militants at Mukuldang in the Kokrajhar district, accusing them of harassing the villagers without any provocation. Earlier, on January 15-night, villagers ransacked five houses belonging to members of the Bodoland Progressive Front, led by the former BLT chief Hagrama Mohilary, following an argument between a former BLT member and some villagers of Bhatabari.

Security forces arrested a hardcore ULFA militant, identified as Damodar Das of Karmipora village in the Darrang district. The militant confessed about the plan of ULFA to plant improvised explosive devices in several places of the district on the eve of Republic Day (January 26) and of his involvement in an extortion drive in the district.

January 18

A ULFA cadre, identified as Dilip Kalita, was shot dead in a joint operation by the Army and police in the Konwarpur area of Sivasagar district.

The NDFB warned former members of the BLT who formed the Bodoland Territorial Council that "provocation" would invite strong retaliation from them. The outfit’s information and publicity secretary, S. Sanjarang, claimed that some "ex-BLT members" were trying to "provoke" his group into frittering away the gains from the peace process.

According to a Union Ministry of Home Affairs report, Assam remains at the top of the list of casualties in terrorist violence in the year 2007. According to the Ministry, more than 290 civilians were killed in the acts of violence by the militant groups in 2007 in Assam and more than 750 others wounded. The militant groups also received major setbacks in the counter-insurgency operations in the State where more than 120 militants were killed, while, 25 security force personnel were killed in the encounters.

Intelligence reports said that a huge consignment of explosives and dozens of small arms has been transhipped into Assam by the ULFA from Bangladesh a week back. The reports also revealed that the shipment included highly-sophisticated remote control devices like those used by the Islamist militants to carry out the blasts at Hyderabad and Ajmer Sharif in 2007. The consignment has reportedly been received by ULFA ‘commander’ of lower Assam, Hira Sarania, from the courier from Bangladesh.

Intelligence reports mentioned that 40 trained ULFA cadres had already sneaked into the State from Bangladesh to carry out subversive activities ahead of the Republic Day (January 26). They could target the public and crowded places, especially in Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

January 20

Guwahati city police arrested two hardcore ULFA cadres from Golaghat district for their alleged involvement in a host of subversive activities in the city recently. They were identified as, Abhijit Dutta and Pradeep Kurmi, and reportedly masterminded the car bomb blast at Pan Bazaar in Guwahati in 2007.

In Tinsukia district, security forces arrested one ULFA cadre, identified as Lambeswar Khotowal, from Borhapjan and another cadre, Daman Moran, from Borgaon. Security forces also recovered one revolver, 16 round of live bullet and few ULFA extortion notes from the militants.

According to intelligence reports, the ULFA has managed to sneak in a number of programmable time device switches into Assam through Bangladesh in the recent times. Police said that the ULFA has been bringing in weapons and explosives through Bangladesh by taking advantage of the porous international border and the 109 battalion of the outfit has been entrusted with the task of transhipment of weapons. The members of the battalion are based mainly in Garo hills of Meghalaya and in Goalpara district for the transhipment of weapons.

January 21

Suspected NSCN-IM cadres abducted two Northeast Frontier Railway engineers on inspection duty from Lower Haflong in the North Cachar Hills district and released them on the next day. The two were identified as Pragjyotish Duwara, senior section engineer of Jatinga railway station in Lower Haflong and Aswini Kumar, senior section engineer.

January 22

Security forces shot dead a ULFA militant at Raidang village under Digboi Police Station.

An unidentified militant was shot dead in an encounter with the army at Bogamati area in the Baska district.

Nine persons were injured as an improvised explosive device, fitted to a bicycle by suspected militants, exploded near Srirampur check-gate along the Assam-West Bengal border in the Kokrajhar district. Another bomb was also found at the incident site.

One school boy was injured when militants exploded a bomb in front of a Railway Protection Force camp in the Bamunimaidan area of Guwahati.

Two bombs were recovered from a bus at Baihata Chariali in Kamrup district during routine checking by the security forces.

Police arrested three ULFA linkmen, identified as Kishor Roy, Gautam Barman and Uttam Baruah, from the Boitamari area of the Bongaigaon district on an unspecified date allegedly for maintaining links with a top ULFA militant Pulak Bharali.

January 23

One KLNLF militant was shot dead while another was arrested by the security force personnel in an encounter near Bokajan in Karbi Anglong district.

A KLNLF militant, identified as Philip Singnar, was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Kakajan under Borpathar Police Station in the Karbi Anglong district. Another cadre, Lorence Teron, was arrested by the security forces on the spot while another managed to escape taking advantage of the dense forest.

A 24-hour bandh (general strike) has been called by the KLNLF in the Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills districts from 5pm (IST) of January 25 till 5pm of January 26 in protest against the "incursion of Indian occupational forces" in the territory of the two districts.

January 24

38 ULFA militants, including a woman cadre, surrendered before the security forces at Tamulpur in the Baksa district. They also deposited 27 pistols, 18 grenades, 22 detonators, 30 kg of explosives and 150 live ammunition of AK-47 assault rifle.

January 25

Two ULFA militants were killed in an encounter with the army at the Dibru-Saikhowa reserve forest in Tinsukia. One of the slain militants was identified as Dhajiya Gogoi.

One person, identified as Rabin Sarma, was injured when a bomb kept in a bicycle exploded at Nagara Chowk under Nalbari police station in the Nalbari district.

Security forces recovered a powerful time bomb containing two kilograms of explosives in front of the civil hospital in the Kokrajhar town. In another incident, explosives were recovered from a bus in the Chapaguri area of Bongaigaon district. The explosives contained 200 detonators and 170 gelatine sticks. Two bombs were recovered near Bhama Gas Agency in the Dhubri district.

January 27

Two ULFA militants and a Captain of the Gorkha Regiment of the Indian Army were killed in an encounter at Borpathar Rongagora under Doomdooma Police Station in the Tinsukia District.

January 28

Sentinel reports that the DHD has recently served extortion notes to businessmen in Dayangmukh, under Kheroni police station in the Karbi Anglong district. A statement released by the market committee of Dayangmukh has said that the DHD has demanded huge amounts of money ranging from INR 20,000 to INR 50,000 from each shopkeeper and businessman of the locality. A caller, identifying himself as a DHD cadre, has threatened that their demand should be met immediately; otherwise they will not allow the businessmen to transact their operations in peace.

Unidentified militants fired at B.C. Sharma, head assistant at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Haflong of North Cachar Hills district. The bullets missed Sharma and the assailants escaped from the incident site.

Police arrested a NDFB cadre, Mwgthang Basumatwry, at Tilapara under Howraghat police station in the Karbi Anglong district. One M-20 pistol, one magazine and eight rounds of live ammunition were recovered from his possession.

January 30

A hardcore ULFA militant and chief instructor of the outfit's 709 battalion, 'sergeant' Bubul Das alias Himangshu Rava alias Ritu Basumatary, surrendered before the police in the Baksa district.

Security forces arrested a militant belonging to the AANLA, Sabilal Sahu, at Molesbasti under the Bakalia Police station in the Karbi Anglong district, according to Assam Tribune. A 9 mm pistol was also recovered from his possession.

January 31

Suspected BW militants shot dead Bikrom Khakra, a senior leader of the Autonomous State Demand Committee, after abducting him at Jirikinding bazaar in Hamren subdivision of Karbi Anglong district. Four other persons, identified as Pranab Bey Sarkar, Swapan Malakar, Sontosh Dam and Basa Timung, who were with Khakra, were also abducted. Militants severely assaulted Sarkar and Malakar and took Dam and Timung with them. Villagers later recovered Khakra’s body and rescued Sarkar and Malakar.

A six-member delegation of the DHD, led by its chairman, Dilip Nunisa, called on Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and discussed ways to end the stalemate in peace talks. He renewed the demand for 'Dimaraji' state to be carved out of North Cachar Hills and Karbi Anglong districts of Assam and Dimapur district in Nagaland.

February 3

At least two persons were killed and three others injured by the suspected BW militants in Manderdisa village part II, under Lumding police station in the North Cachar Hills district.

February 6

Three persons were arrested by the police for allegedly demanding money from an Oil and Natural Gas Corporation employee by posing themselves as ULFA militants. The trio, arrested from Geleky area in the Sivasagar district were allegedly demanding INR 250000.

February 9

Two surrendered ULFA cadres, Dharma Barua and Simanta Gogoi, were arrested by Sonari police near the Abhoipur area in the Sivasagar district on charges of extorting INR 200000 from a businessman, Kabir Ahmed.

February 10

Assam Police foiled a plan of the ULFA to hijack a plane from Guwahati airport to Pakistan and arrested three persons for their alleged involvement in the conspiracy. ULFA’s 709th battalion’s Manoj Tamuly alias Randip Baruah alias Kamal Das alias Haloi alias Pathak and his fiancee Dharitri Sarma, also an ULFA militant, were arrested from Panjabari Bagorbori area of Guwahati. During interrogation, Manoj confessed that the ULFA had planned to hijack a plane from Borjhar and to take it to Pakistan. Based on his confession, a prominent advocate, Nekibur Zaman, was also arrested. The house of a human rights activist, Lachit Bardoloi, was raided while a television journalist Pradeep Gogoi was arrested from Tinsukia.

Baksa district police arrested six NDFB militants in connection with the abduction of Dipak Sikharia, a Class X student of the Don Bosco School.

February 11

Four persons, including an Assam Police Battalion soldier, were killed and two more injured when Black Widow militants ambushed a convoy of the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd officials 20-km from Umrangsu in the North Cachar Hills district.

Three Islamist militants with suspected links to the Pakistani ISI were killed and three others were arrested in an encounter with security forces at Binajuli village under Agia police outpost in the Goalpara district. The slain militants were identified as Sonowar Ali, Abu Sadique and Zahanoor Ali while those arrested were identified as Alauddin Sheikh, Sabuddin Sheikh and Habib Basumatary.

The Commander of the 27th battalion of ULFA, Keshav Hazarika, Lieutenant Biraj Phukan and sergeant major Kumud Bordoloi, surrendered along with several others at Dinjan army base. Wife of Keshav Hazarika, Meenakshi Hazarika, reportedly surrendered in absentia. 28 militants of various outfits, including two from the NDFB and two from the KNLF also surrendered with a huge cache of arms and ammunition.

Human rights activist and member of the People’s Consultative Group, Lachit Bordoloi, was arrested by police from Moranhat in the Sibsagar district on the charge of being part of a ULFA plan to hijack an aircraft from Guwahati to Pakistan.

Six NDFB cadres were arrested by police in connection with the kidnapping of a student, Dipak Sikaria.

Police arrested a youth, Abhinash Gogoi, from Panichokua area under Pulibor Police Station in the Jorhat district for alleged links with the ULFA.

February 12

A ULFA militant suspected to have been involved in the abduction of FCI official P.C. Ram was arrested at Guwahati. He was identified as Champak Sharma of Burajan village in the Kamrup district. Police also recovered an M20 pistol, ammunition, five kg of RDX and bomb-making materials from his rented house.

February 14

Police seized a boat that the ULFA had been using to ferry arms and its cadres to Guwahati city. Police also arrested seven persons including the boat driver, and seized 10-kgs of RDX from the boat at Goroimari in the Kamrup district, about 100-km from Guwahati.

A truck was set ablaze by suspected NDFB militants at Saudarbhita under Salbari police station in the Baksa district.

February 16

Four ULFA militants were killed in a joint operation by the Army and police in the Sibsagar district.

February 17

Unidentified militants shot dead two youths and dumped their bodies near Debarai village under Haflong police station in the North Cachar Hills district on. The youths were identified as Utpal Chakraborty and Ronji Hojai.

February 19

Five employees of a private cement factory, Vinay Cements, were killed while another was injured in an attack by the BW militants in the North Cachar Hills district.

February 20

The United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) set two conditions for renewing the cease-fire that lapsed on January 31, 2008. In a letter to the Joint Secretary (Northeast) in the Union Home Ministry, the UPDS ‘foreign secretary’ Klirdap Kathar said that they would sign a fresh cease-fire agreement only if the Union Government agreed to hold a round of talks every three months until a solution was reached. The second condition put by the outfit is that its demand for self-rule be included in the terms of reference of the proposed State Reorganisation Commission.

NDFP militants along with other militants from Nagaland abducted two traders from the Panjan area under the Sarupathar police station in Golaghat district and took away INR 40,000 from them.

February 21

Suspected ULFA militants shot dead a school teacher, Pradip Hazarika, at Kakopathar Harumechai village in the Tinsukia district. They also assaulted his neighbour, Jiten Changmai, before leaving the place. The same group also killed one Bhoyen Moran, a resident of the adjoining Bormechai village.

February 22

Three KLNLF militants were shot dead by the security forces in an operation in the Kamalabhati village under Howraghat Police Station in the Karbi Anglong district.

Five people, including three policemen, were injured in an attack by the BW militants in the North Cachar Hills district. The militants ambushed a convoy of police personnel near Hatikhali under Langting police station injuring three of them and two other passers-by.

February 23

Police arrested a suspected ULFA linkman, Judhajit Das, from Barpeta.

February 24

Suspected KLNLF militants shot dead two Hindi-speaking persons in the Bokoliaghat Rangnagar village under Bokoliaghat police station of Karbi Anglong district. The victims were identified as Biswanath Chauhan and Radheshyam Chauhan.

One BW militant, identified as Pranjit Langthasa, was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Neonkro village near Harangajao in the North Cachar Hills district.

February 25

Telegraph reports that BW militants have been buying sophisticated weapons from the Chiang Mai arms bazaar of Thailand bordering Myanmar. Deputy Inspector General of Police for south Assam Y.S. Gautam said that the arms were generally routed to India’s Northeast via Myanmar and Bangladesh. He said the outfit’s chief, Jewel Gorlosa, visited Thailand via Nepal in 2007 and bought the weapons with help from the NSCN-IM militants.

February 26

Assam Police, with the assistance of the Army, has started a river unit to operate in the Brahmaputra River to check the activities of the ULFA, which is using the river route to ferry men and weapons across various locations connected by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries.

February 27

One person was killed and 14 others were injured in an IED blast by suspected ULFA militants at Borgolla Chariali near Tezpur Sadar police station in the Sonitpur district. Ajit Ghosh, a grocery shop owner at Panchmile, was killed in the incident.

Suspected unidentified militants belonging to the Karbi community shot at and injured a doctor at Bagori under Bokakhat police station in the Golaghat district.

February 28

NDFB decided not to take part in the February 29 meeting between the Joint Monitoring Group and the Government due to the violation of the cease-fire ground rules by the government.

Union Home Secretary, Madhukar Gupta, said that the Centre is not ready to hold any talks with the ULFA on the issue of "sovereignty of Asom". Gupta also said, "The ULFA has to give up violence before holding peace talks with the Centre, and there will be no mediators in the peace process. The Government is ready for only direct talks with the ULFA."

February 29

NDFB militants took out rallies in the Kokrajhar, Baksa, Udalguri and Chirang districts on to protest an attack on one of its members. NDFB cadres set ablaze nine vehicles, including a magistrate’s official jeep, at Sikhargaon, under Dotma police station in the Kokrajhar district, for defying a 12-hour strike called by them. A motorcycle was set ablaze at the same place while another group of militants set fire to a van at Tilipara under Gossaigaon police station and torched a bike at Tinali in the same district. Similarly, another vehicle was torched at Labdanguri in the Baksa district.

March 2

One former DHD militant, Belen Kempry, was killed by unidentified militants at Prabadisha Block Bazaar under Dagang police station in the North Cachar Hills district on an unspecified date, reports Sentinel.

The headmaster of Kharuwa Iraqdao High School, Pradeep Swargiary, was killed by unidentified gunmen in the Baksa district.

Kagen Holoi, owner of a sweet shop, was killed by unidentified militants at Udalbari Chowk in the Kokrajhar district.

According to Telegraph, arrested human rights activist and ULFA-appointed mediator, Lachit Bordoloi, had been emailing statements on the outfit’s behalf to the media with ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa’s scanned signature on them.

March 3

Three suspected ULFA linkmen, Abdus Sattar, Atowar Rahman and Hazrat Ali, were arrested by the Assam Police during a search operation at Damalkona village in the Dhubri district.

March 4

Two ULFA militants, identified as Tapan Baruah alias Arun Baruah and Parikshit Chettry, were shot dead by the Assam Police during an encounter at Thanubam village under Barbaruah police station in the Dibrugarh district.

A child, Guljar Hussain, was killed and two others, Sashi Konwar and Nirmal Gogoi, were wounded in a bomb blast near the Laksminath Bezbaruah Park in Sibsagar town. Guljar was suspected to be the carrier of the bomb.

March 5

Telegraph quoting police sources reports that the NDFB has set up an office-cum-transit camp in Guwahati for extortion and other illegal activities in violation of its cease-fire with the government.

One person was injured when ULFA militants exploded a bomb near the District Magistrate's office at Lakhimpur.

March 6

Assam government admitted in the State Legislative Assembly that Bangladesh-based jihadi groups are active in the State. Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain made this admission through a statement on behalf of the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. Hussain also admitted that several insurgent groups of the State and other parts of the Northeast region are taking shelter in the neighbouring Bangladesh.

March 8

One person, identified as Sanjay Mahato, was killed in a grenade explosion at Coal Road in Dibrugarh.

March 9

Four Hindi-speaking people were shot dead by the ULFA militants at a brick kiln near Udalguri tea estate in the Dibrugarh district.

The Army neutralised a camp of the Black Widow at Baladisa under Langting police station in the North Cachar Hills district and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from the hideout.

An ULFA militant, Suryamohan Rai, and a linkman, Shafiul Rahman, were arrested by the security forces from Golokgunj area of Dhubri district along with a pistol and INR 10,000.

March 10

Three ULFA militants were arrested during a search operation at an unspecified place.

Police recovered and subsequently defused an explosive that was planted near the Assam Legislative Assembly in Dispur. Another bomb was recovered and defused at Adabari area in Guwahati city.

Two ULFA militants, 'sergeant major' Amrit Ballav alias Mizo and 'corporal' Bikram Hazarika alias Uttam Hazarika, surrendered along with arms and ammunition before the Golaghat district administration.

March 11

Two persons were killed and 13 others injured in a bomb blast in the Doomdooma town of Tinsukia district.

March 12

10 persons were injured in a powerful explosion at Mazbat in the Udalguri district. Further, two more blasts were reported from the Udalguri town. While the first blast occurred in the Udalguri railway station, the second one was reported from the heart of the town. No one was, however, injured in these explosions.

Security forces arrested a senior commander of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Surajit Singh, along with two of his associates, Ibasul Haque and L.C.K. Singh, from a hideout at Sonai block in the Cachar district.

March 13

Four persons were killed and nine others injured in a police firing on an irate mob which was protesting against the dismantling of a NDFB camp at Bengtol in the Chirang district.

Army shot dead a ULFA militant, Rupa Moran, after he lobbed a grenade at the troops at Hatibandha village under Tengakhat Police Station in the Dibrugarh district.

Two persons, including a minor, were injured in a grenade blast in an ice factory at Rupaisiding in the Tinsukia district.

Suspected BW militants abducted five persons, including three officials of a private construction company working on the North Cachar Hills stretch of the East-West corridor of the National Highways Authority of India.

March 14

Police arrested three DHD militants from Matikhola Gojalipar village in the Howraghat area of Karbi Anglong district.

Assam Government directed the police to shift all NDFB cadres to three designated camps. According to the officials, the proximity of the NDFB cadres to members of the disbanded Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) was causing law and order problems and the rival groups needed to be distanced.

March 15

Four persons were killed and more than 50 others, including some women and children, were injured in a grenade blast at Jonai in the Dhemaji district. According to official sources, about 15,000 people gathered in a field near the Jonai circuit house to celebrate Ali-Aye-Ligang, a festival of the Mising community, when suspected ULFA militants lobbed a grenade at the crowd.

SFs killed two militants, suspected to be either from the ULFA or the NDBF, during an exchange of fire at Silikhaguri Sapori under Narayanpur police station in the North Lakhimpur district. An injured militant escaped with his AK-47 rifle, while a pistol with five rounds of ammunition and a revolver with four rounds were recovered from the slain militants.

One NDFB militant was killed by the SFs during an encounter in the Karbi Anglong district.

Six hardcore ULFA militants surrendered and laid down their arms at a ceremony at the Kamrup Deputy Commissioner’s office.

March 16

NDFB militants shot dead Bigrai Basumatary alias Belaibe, ‘secretary’ of the surrendered NDFB Welfare Association. His bullet-riddled body was found at Dhaolabari Ashuline, near Kokrajhar town. Police said Belaibe was killed by the NDFB cadres on the suspicion of maintaining close links with former Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) cadres.

March 17

One ULFA militant involved in several bomb blasts in the Tinsukia district was killed in an encounter with the police at Dirakbokhai village in the Dibrugarh district. Two other militants, however, escaped.

One suspected ULFA militant, Satyajit Chetia, was injured when one of the bombs being he was carrying exploded in the Sibsagar district.

March 18

Three NDFB cadres were killed and two others were injured when unidentified militants attacked their camp at Ghoskhata under Dotma police station in the Kokrajhar district. The three deceased militants were identified as B. Bhatam, B. Modaram and B. Lambu.

An expert in guerrilla warfare from Jharkhand, Ahin Beltapu, was arrested along with five All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA) cadres, including a woman, from a hideout in Chekta Basti near Chokihola inside the jungles of Karbi Anglong district. Other AANLA militants arrested along with Beltapu were identified as, Rajesh Singh alias Ranjit Karket, Dilip Toppo, Sunil Modi, Mirmashi Toppo and Jayanti Karkate, are from different parts of Karbi Anglong and Golaghat districts.

March 20

Two militants, one belonging to the ULFA and the other to the DHD, were killed in two separate gun battles in Assam. Manindra Rai, a suspected ULFA militant, was killed in a gunfight with a team of police and army personnel at Gouripur in Dhubri district. In another gunfight with army personnel at Maibongdisha in North Cachar Hills district, a hardcore militant of the DHD, identified as Joydeep Maibongsa, was killed.

March 22

The ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ of the Black Widow (BW), Franky Dimasa, is arrested by the Guwahati Police from Fatasil Ambari area.

March 24

Three persons, including two railway employees Keshab Malakar and Masab Palai, were killed and two others wounded when the BW militants attacked Harangajao railway station in the North Cachar Hills district.

An activist of the Bodoland People’s Front party, identified as Ranjit Swargiary, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at Jopadang under Barbari police station in the Baksa district.

The BW declares a unilateral cease-fire for a period of three months.

March 25

One NDFB militant was lynched while another escaped near the Manas National Park in the Chirang district. The two militants had reportedly gone to Bansbari on Barpeta Road to extort money from contractors of a Public Works Department road.

The Baksa District Superintendent of Police P. Baruah said that militants shot dead two youths, Jiten Boro and Gala Boro, at Silakuti Part I and Goybari villages. "The spate of killings is the result of friction between the NDFB and ex-BLT members. Most of those killed so far are family members, relatives or supporters of either group," he stated. With this, the death toll due to clashes between NDFB militants and Bodo People’s Front members has increased to 19 in less than a month.

March 26

A businessman, Raju Jain, is shot dead and his son Narendra Jain sustains injuries when suspected ULFA militants opened fire at them at Mohkhuti under Nimuguri police station in the Sibasagar district.

March 27

The ‘chairman’ of the DHD, Dilip Nunisa, meets Assam Governor Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Ajai Singh and requests him to take steps to expedite the peace talks between the Government of India and the outfit.

March 29

Sentinel reports that a new militant outfit, identified as Bodoland Royal Tigers Force, has been formed in the Bodoland area.

March 31

A teacher of the Bhalukdanga Bidya Mandir High School, identified as Bijay Chaudhury, is shot at and wounded by unidentified militants at Barama in the Baska district.

Guwahati Police arrested three suspected NDFB cadres, Marcus Narzary, Ajit Boro and Binod Basumatary, from the Chandan Nagar locality and seized four 5.56 pistols, two M 20 pistols, two pen pistols and one revolver from their possession.

18 cadres belonging to various outfits, including 13 from the ULFA, three from the NDFB and one each from the Khaplang and Isak-Muivah factions of the NSCN, surrendered before Major General Jatinder Singh, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Mountain Division at Dinjan Military Station in the Dibrugarh district.

The chief of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), Hagrama Mohilary, withdraws his talks offer to Ranjan Daimary, ‘chief’ of the NDFB.

April 1

Sentinel reports that the NDFB cadres, residing in unauthorized camps, have been extorting money from common people and harassing businessmen in the Baska district.

Two suspected NDFB militants shot dead Bodosa Narzary, principal of the Patgaon Jwngma Boro Foraisali High School and director of Kokrajhar-based television channel, at Titaguri Bhabhanipur in the Kokrajhar district. Narzary was a former Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) cadre.

The Assam Government stated in the Legislative Assembly that 234 Islamist militants were currently lodged in different jails in the State. The 234 militants include as many as 150 belonging to the Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam (MULTA), 50 to the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), and seven Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) operatives. The ISI operatives, the Government said, include at least two who are citizens of Pakistan who had admitted during interrogation that they had sneaked into Assam from Bangladesh. Five of those currently in jail are also from Bangladesh. "These militants have been arrested over a period of seven to eight years, and several of them were involved in cases of sabotage and treason," Rockybul Hussain, the Minister for Forests and Environment, told the Assembly on behalf of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who also holds the Home portfolio.

Hussain said there was strong evidence that a number of these militants had been to Pakistan and Bangladesh and undergone training in arms. "The Government has information that these groups recruit young boys from the districts of Dhubri, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Karimganj, Cachar, Hailakandi, Nalbari, Nagaon and Darrang and send them out for training in Bangladesh and Pakistan," the minister said. Hussain admitted that the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) too was active in Assam, but added that no member of the group had been arrested so far in the State. "While the Government had banned SIMI in 2001, there is information that the group is still active in Assam," Hussain told the Assembly.

April 2

The report of the judicial inquiry headed by Justice (retd) R. K. Manisana Singh which is tabled in the Assam Legislative Assembly states that the AANLA incited a section of the protestors to assault residents and damage vehicles, roadside shops and houses in Beltola in Guwahati on November 24. The Manisana Singh report confirms that some of the protestors came with weapons at the behest of the AANLA leadership. The judicial inquiry revealed that administrative ineptness was also responsible for the November 24 Adivasi protest march turning into the worst instance of street rioting in Assam.

April 3

One NSCN-IM militant, Njanphemo Lotha, is arrested by Assam Police during a search operation at Khatkhati area in the Karbi Anglong district.

April 4

One surrendered NDFB cadre, Mridul Mushahary alias Marble, is shot dead by unidentified militants at Dalbari village under Barama police station in the Nalbari district. His associate, Ambir Boro, is injured in the attack.

April 5

Two MULTA cadres are arrested by Army personnel from Chatguri-Jangirkilla in the Dhubri district.

April 6

One hardcore ULFA militant, Hemchandra Bora alias Udipta Hazarika, surrenders before the Assam Police in the Tinsukia district.

April 7

The Border Security Force personnel shot dead an unidentified militant of the BW in an encounter in the Thajury area of the North Cachar Hills district.

ULFA hoisted its flags at several places in the State on the occasion of its ‘raising day’.

April 8

At least 30 powerful grenades and detonators fitted with time devices meant for the ULFA were seized from three persons, including a Bhutanese, in the Nalbari district near the India-Bhutan border.

April 10

At least 41 persons were injured in a bomb blast at a market in the Howraghat area of Karbi Anglong district. Police said that the KLNLF is suspected to be involved in the incident.

April 11

Union Government rejected the demand of the UPDS for a Karbi state in a meeting with six UPDS leaders. The outfit said it could join hands with the DHD factions to prepare a common set of demands.

April 12

One ULFA militant was shot dead by the Army personnel who retaliated when eight suspected ULFA cadres opened fire on them at upper Dihing Reserve Forest in the Tinsukia district.

Two ULFA cadres, Mandal Hasda alias Sadhu and Birbal Murmu, were arrested by the Army personnel at Gwmfela under Kachugaon police station in the Kokrajhar district.

Major General Shakil Ahmed, Director General of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), after signing the Joint Record of Discussions with the Border Security Force in New Delhi, said that Paresh Baruah, ‘commander-in-chief’ of the ULFA, was no longer in Bangladesh. "Let me assure you that Paresh Baruah is no longer in Bangladesh," said Ahmed.

April 16

Police recovered the bullet-riddled dead body of a surrendered Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) militant, Bijoy Rongphar, from Kakojan under Howraghat police station in the Karbi Anglong district.

April 16

The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Radhika V. Selvi, informs the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) that inputs suggest that the ULFA has been using the territory of Bangladesh to procure and smuggle arms and explosives into India. The Minister was replying to a question on whether ULFA commanders have a vast network running seven hotels and six nursing homes, besides procuring weapons through the port city of Cox’s Bazaar in Bangladesh.

April 18

The Union Government categorically rules out any possibility of talks with the ULFA on its main demand for sovereignty. The Union minister of State for Industry, Ashwani Kumar, said, "We are all for talks but these have to be within the ambit of the Constitution. The unity and integrity of the country is not negotiable, let there be no ambiguity on this front."

April 20

A KLNLF militant is killed and huge quantities of arms and explosives are recovered by the security forces (SFs) when they neutralised a KLNLF camp at Manja area in the Karbi Anglong district.

The KLNLF retaliates the killing of its cadre by triggering a bomb blast near the statue of Karbi leader Rangfarpi Rangvi in Diphu town. The Deputy Superintendent of Police (Karbi Anglong), N. Dungal, sustained minor injuries in the blast.

April 21

Five NDFB militants while demanding money from people are arrested by the Assam Rifles personnel at Bahbera area under Missamari police station in the Sonitpur district.

April 22

Eight militants belonging to the KLNLF and AANLA give up arms in a surrender ceremony held at the Circuit House in Diphu in the Karbi Anglong district.

The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Radhika Selvi informs the Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament) that there are reports that some militant groups from the northeast have links with the Pakistan’s ISI and some other terrorist groups of neighbouring countries such as the Bangladesh-based HuJI. She denied that there is any such report that the HuJI has established its base camps in the Dhubri and Bonbaigaon districts of Assam.

April 23

Sentinel reports that the ULFA has changed its extortion strategy. Instead of issuing written extortion notes, the outfit is demanding a huge amount of cash from the businessmen of upper Assam by sending SMS through mobile phones. The report added that when the security forces were conducting counter-insurgency operations in upper Assam, cadres of the ‘28th battalion’ of the ULFA led by self-styled ‘commander’ Bijay Chinese were sending SMS to a number of businessmen of upper Assam demanding amounts ranging from INR 10 00000 to INR 50 00000.

April 24

One Bodoland Peoples Progressive Front (BPPF) leader, Rupam Brahma, is shot at and wounded by unidentified militants in front of his residence at Dotma in the Kokrajhar district. Brahma was a former Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) cadre.

Police arrest two NDFB militants, Khiranto Narzary and Gepo Narzary, from the outfit’s transit camp at Gossaigaon after the Bodoland Peoples’ Front files a First Information Report against them.

The CRPF personnel arrest four militants from Killarbak area under Jamira police of Hailakandi district along the Asom-Mizoram border.

April 25

Kokrajhar district police recovered the dead body of one NDFB cadre, identified as Gautam Basumatary, who was earlier shot dead, near Gaurang river bank at Desargaon village.

27 ULFA militants, including a woman cadre, surrender before the General-officer-Commanding (GOC) of 21 Mountain Division, Major General Chander Prakash, and senior police officials at Tamulpur in the Baska district. They deposited a large number of arms, ammunition, grenades and extortion notes during the surrender ceremony. Of the 27 cadres, 19 were from the ULFA ‘709 battalion’ while the rest of them belonged to the outfit’s 27 and 109 battalions.

April 26

Assam Police arrests two women supporters of an unidentified militant outfit, Muskan Choudhury and Mampi Roy, while trying to collect extortion money from one Kantom Rongpi at Diphu in the Karbi Anglong district.

Guwahati Police arrested Kazi Omar Farooq, ‘chairman’ of the PULF, from a rented house at Sasal area. The arrest followed the earlier detention of three PULF cadres from a rented accommodation in Dispur. Additional Superintendent of Police Debojit Deuri said, "During the interrogation of the three PULF cadres on Sunday, our team raided a house in Chasal and could nab Farooq today." Kazi had been hiding in the city for a long time, he added.

April 29

Four children, including one minor girl, are killed in a grenade blast at Kolaigaon in the Chirang district.

Nagaland Post reports that the flourishing narcotics trade along the India-Myanmar border has been helping militant groups getting funding for their violent campaign. "In India's northeast, narcotics trade and insurgency are close allies with militants trading in heroin and other forms of drugs to procure arms to continue with their secessionist campaigns," an unnamed intelligence official told Indo-Asian News Service.

April 30

A joint team of the Army and Assam Police neutralise a ULFA transit camp at Bangshijhora hill in the Dhubri district and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition. An unnamed senior police officer said the camp was frequently used by the ULFA, NDFB and KLO militants, since they have some common areas of operation and used this vital transit camp not only for shelter but also for ammunition supply.

Army arrests seven NDFB militants while carrying out extortion at Number 1 Disiri village in the Sonitpur district.

May 1

The NDFB submits its charter of demands to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi. According to NDFB sources, the ‘liberation’ of Bodoland reportedly figured in the charter of demands of the outfit.

A trooper, identified as Saheb Singh, and one ULFA militant, Ajay Deka, are killed during an encounter at Dalanghat under Kalaigaon police station in the Darrang district.

May 3

Army personnel arrested one Black Widow (BW) cadre and a suspected female militant when they neutralised a hideout of the outfit at Relai near Maibong in the North Cachar Hills district.

May 5

Telegraph reports that Nirmal Konwar, ‘second-in-command of the 27 battalion’ of the ULFA, confessed that the outfit is now carrying out only operation-specific recruitment, where a person is assigned a single task and has no links with the outfit thereafter. Konwar and his wife were arrested when they were undergoing treatment at a nursing home in Guwahati on May 1.

Two ULFA militants of the ‘709 battalion’ were arrested by the Army personnel from Agomoni in the Dhubri district. A revolver and two rounds of ammunition are recovered from them.

May 8

Two ULFA militants, Janak Bora and Tarun Sonowal alias Apurba, were killed by the Army personnel during an encounter at Kathalguri Hunjan village under Kakopathar police station in the Tinsukia district.

Seven ULFA cadres surrendered before the Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup district R.C. Jain at Guwahati.

May 9

Two ULFA linkmen were arrested by the security forces at Amtuli under Fakiragram police station in the Kokrajhar district.

May 10

12 Black Widow militants were killed and 18 others injured in a gun battle with the security forces in the North Cachar Hills district.

May 11

A group of around 10 armed BW militants shot dead eight labourers engaged in the construction of a railway quarters at Thoibasti in the North Cachar Hills district.

Assam Police arrested a National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) militant, Sajal Debbarma alias Sanjay, from Paltanbazar in Guwahati.

May 12

Two persons were killed and another injured when suspected BW militants attacked railway workers engaged in a construction site at Migrendisa under Haflong police station in the North Cachar Hills district.

Two ULFA cadres were killed in an encounter with the Army at Leseri in Baksa district.

May 14

Two ULFA hideouts were neutralised by the Army personnel in the Dibru Saikhowa reserve forest of Tinsukia district.

May 15

Suspected BW militants hijacked five cement-laden trucks and subsequently killed the five drivers and their five helpers near Krumgminglangsu village in the North Cachar Hills district.

BW militants fired on a two-coach patrol train between the Mupa and Kalachand stations in the same district. The driver of the train, N.N. Bora, was killed while three others were injured in the incident.

May 16

Three suspected BW militants shot dead the president of the apex body of Bete tribe in the North Cachar Hills, J T Roya Ngamlai, at his residence in the Phiangpui village in the North Cachar Hills district.

May 18

Assam Government initiated steps to rectify the "operational weaknesses" in its fight against the BW in the North Cachar Hills district. According to sources in Dispur, the State Government has decided to set up a local Unified Command Structure in association with the 3 Corps. The Government has also decided to deploy 2,000 additional ex-servicemen in the district to ensure the security of railway personnel and those working for the broad gauge conversion and the East-West corridor projects in vulnerable stretches.

A ULFA militant, identified as Hemanta Moran alias Utpal Neog, was killed in an encounter with the Army at Bor-Dirak village under Kakopathar Police Station in the Tinsukia district.

May 19

Five persons were injured when suspected ULFA militants hurled a grenade at Rani Sati Mandir Path in the Tinsukia district.

BW lifted its ban on the work of the East-West railway corridor and gauge conversion projects in the North Cachar Hills district.

May 20

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the Army has been asked to intensify its operations against the BW and more forces have been deployed in the North Cachar Hills district to tackle the situation. Gogoi said, "We are contemplating on formation of an auxiliary force with 1,000 surrendered militants. The auxiliary force will be deployed in the North Cachar Hills first, and if its performance is good, we will deploy it in other areas of the State."

May 21

Assam Government asks the BW militant outfit to mend its ways for the Government to reciprocate.

May 22

Suspected ULFA cadres shot dead a civilian, identified as Dhaneswar Moran, at Nakathalguri village under Pengeri Police Station in the Tinsukia district.

Assam Government decided to institute a commission of inquiry to probe links between some senior members of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous District Council and the BW.

May 23

17 militants belonging to different outfits surrendered before the security forces at Dinjan Army camp. 12 militants from ULFA, two KLNLF, one from NDFB and two from NSCN-IM surrendered along with over 13 pistols, two Burmese guns, one M-21 rifle and a large number of ammunition of pistols, rifles and AK series besides some magazines.

May 24

A hardcore ULFA militant, identified as Pulan Moran alias Phulen Chetia, was shot dead in an encounter with Army personnel at Bormusai in the Dirak area of Tinsukia district.

A ULFA militant was killed in an encounter with the Army at Barahi Kacharigaon under Sonari Police Station in the Sivasagar district.

May 27

A Border Roads Organisation driver, Surendra Paul, engaged in the construction work of National Highway-62, was shot dead by the ULFA militants near Dudhnoi on National Highway-62 in the Goalpara district.

May 31

Suspected ULFA militants shot dead Khagen Chandra Deka, head of the Dolonghat village under Kalaigaon Police Station in the Udalguri district.

Three KLNLF militants surrendered before the security forces along with an AK-47 rifle, three magazines, and two 9-mm pistols in Guwahati.

A senior cadre of the 28th Battalion of the ULFA, Sanat Gogoi, surrendered before the security forces at Duliajan Army camp in the Dibrugarh district.

A close associate of the ULFA chairman Arobindo Rajkhowa, idenitifed as Kamala Rajkonwar, was arrested by the Army at Charimuthia Konwar village near Lakwa in the Sibsagar district.

June 1

Two ULFA militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Khardang Dalupara Rangsekgaon under Dudhnoi Police Station in the Goalpara district.

June 2

Two ULFA militants, Jehirul Islam and Mujibur Rehman, surrendered before the security forces at Dhubri. The militants also deposited one AK 81-1 rifle, two Chinese grenades, 74 rounds of ammunition, three magazines and one ammunition pouch.

June 3

Guwahati city Police arrested two ULFA militants, including a woman cadre, from the Inter State Bus Terminus under Gorchuk Police station in Guwahati.

June 5

A ULFA militant was killed in an encounter with the Army at Jengonichowk under Kakopathar Police Station in the Tinsukia district.

June 6

Two hardcore ULFA militants, identified as Hitesh Basumatary and Manoj Boro, were killed in an encounter with security forces at Jagannathpur under Tihu Police Station in the Nalbari district.

June 7

Unidentified militants shot dead Kanak Swargiary, a retired employee of the Handloom and Textile Department, at his residence in the Kahibari area under Barama Police Station of Baksa district.

June 8

Army personnel killed a ULFA militant and seized a huge consignment of arms during an operation at Teji Gaon village in the Dinjan area of Dibrugarh district.

Army arrested two AANLA militants, identified as Ranjan Murmu and Janu Soren, with a cache of arms and ammunition from Gurufella under Kachugaon Police Station in the Kokrajhar district.

A ULFA linkman, Dhaneswar Deka alias Rinku Deka, was arrested from Karbi Anglong.

June 9

Two ULFA militants were killed in an encounter with the SFs at Palashguri in the Baksa district. The militants are identified as Dharya Deka, the ‘commander’ of ULFA’s 709 Battalion and another cadre, Rana Rabha.

June 10

Three ULFA militants were shot dead in an encounter with the SFs at Borbam village under Tengakhat Police Station in the Dibrugarh district.

A ULFA militant, identified as Aditya Naidu alias Tarun Pandav, of the Bravo Company of the 28th Battalion of the outfit was killed in an encounter with the Army at Timon tea estate under Kakotibari Police Station in the Sivasagar district. A woman ULFA cadre, identified as Karabi Gogoi, was also arrested during the encounter.

Police arrested three suspected ULFA conduits from a house in the South Sarania area of Guwahati. They were identified as Abani Mahanta, Chandan Deka and Nayan Sarma.

June 11

ANI reports that a tripartite meeting of the representatives of the Union Government, Government of Assam and NDFB held in New Delhi on May 30 agreed to extend the Suspension of Operations for three months, up to August 31, 2008.

June 12

The Additional Sessions Court of Kamrup released 10 suspected ISI agents as the Assam Police could not submit any documents to prove its claim.

June 14

A hardcore ULFA militant, identified as ‘Lance Corporal’ Prabin Gogoi alias Dhanti was a member of the outfit’s 28th Battalion’s C company, was killed in an encounter with the Army personnel at Saraipung under Digboi police station in the Dibrugarh district.

June 15

Four hardcore ULFA cadres of the 28th battalion were shot dead by the Army in an operation at Kanubari village of Charaideo subdivision of Sibsagar district. The slain militants have been identified as Badal Khargoria, Annie Bauri, Sumit Gohain and Ajit Gogoi.

Army arrested three suspected ULFA linkmen from Bimalapur under Borhat Police Station. They have been identified as Bitupan Gogoi, Lakhyajit Gogoi and Lokesh Gogoi.

June 16

A surrendered ULFA member, Rana Gogoi, was arrested by Dibrugarh police in connection with a blackmailing and sex racket case.

June 17

A surrendered ULFA activist Tilok Gogoi alias Montu was arrested by the Police at Sapekhati in the Sibsagar district on the allegations of torturing a woman.

Security forces arrested four suspected MULTA cadres from the Nagaon district. They are identified as Mohammed Akbar Ali, Jamar Ali, Eman Hussain and Jafar Ali.

June 18

Unidentified militants shot dead Jayanta Daimari, a businessman of Chamtala village in Tamulpur subdivision at Gandhibari in the Baksa district.

June 21

One woman, identified as Bharati Koya, is killed and another wounded when some unidentified militants hurled a hand grenade at a crowded market in a tea estate area in the Udalguri district.

June 22

Assam Police arrest senior Peoples’ Consultative Group member Hiranya Saikia from his shop at Christian Basti in Guwahati on charges of his alleged link with the ULFA.

June 23

The Centre extended its Suspension of Operation agreement with the DHD for another six months in a tripartite meeting at New Delhi. The agreement which was due to expire on June 30 has now been extended till December 31, 2008.

Assam Government asks Police to restrain from any unilateral action against the ULFA as that could hamper peace efforts with the outfit’s 28th battalion. A secret memo was reportedly issued to all district superintendents of police a few days back to bolster the Government’s initiative to bring the outfit’s most potent unit over ground.

The vice-president of the Bodo Santi Mancha, Lakshman Boro, is shot dead by former BLT cadres at his residence at Bagulamari village under Barbari police station in the Baksa district.

June 24

Militants of the A and C companies of the ‘28^th Battalion’ of the ULFA announce a unilateral cease-fire. In a statement distributed at Chapakhowa in the Tinsukia district after a meeting of the militants at Amarpur in Sadiya, they said, "In the interest of a peace dialogue between ULFA and the Government, we desire discussions to sort out the problems of Assam. To facilitate a congenial atmosphere for the talks, we are declaring a unilateral cease-fire from June 24, 2008, and we hope our gesture would result in reciprocation from the Assam Government and the Government of India. Our decision of today follows a deep desire of the people of Assam for peace talks, and we would appeal to the ULFA Central Committee and the Government of India as well as the Government of Assam to initiate peace talks immediately." However, the B Company of the battalion, which has about 150 cadres, was not present at the meeting.

Around 32 militants belonging to the ULFA, NSCN-IM and NSCN-K surrender before the Army at Mariani in the Jorhat district. Of the 32 surrendered militants, 26 belong to ULFA, four belonged to NSCN-IM and two are from NSCN-K.

26 ULFA cadres surrendered before the Army at Tamulpur in the Baksa district.

Two ULFA cadres surrender at Diphu in the Karbi Anglong and Chariduar in Sonitpur districts along with two AK series rifles, four revolvers, 21 pistols, eight grenades.

June 25

Following the unilateral truce declared by the A and C companies of the ‘28^th battalion’ of the ULFA, the Assam Government decides to stop operations against these two particular companies of the outfit. However, operations would continue against those elements indulging in violence. The Director General of Police R. N. Mathur said, "We welcome the cease-fire gesture by the 28th battalion and our stand has been to help anyone who is interested in peace. However, action will continue against those indulging in subversive activities."

June 26

An unidentified ULFA militant is killed while two others manage to escape in an encounter with the security forces (SFs) at Maju village in the Nalbari district.

One woman, identified as Joyanti Koch, who used to provide ULFA with information, is arrested while she was moving out of Mancachar in Dhubri district.

June 28

Bangladeshi journal Narinjara News reports that the ULFA cadres staying in the Maungdaw town of Myanmar have been preparing to set up a generator powered by paddy husk to supply electricity. "The group is now setting up a generator in Maungdaw town and will start the distribution of electricity from July or August," the journal stated. The generator would provide power to Maungdaw for five to six hours a day. The journal also noted that about 20 ULFA members are living in Maungdaw where they run cosmetic shops, a computer cafe, and a telephone booth.

June 29

Seven persons are killed and 35 others, including two policemen, are injured in an explosion at a weekly crowded marketplace in the Kumarikata village of Nalbari district.

One surrendered ULFA cadre, Tapan Saikia, is shot dead by four suspected ULFA militants at Jaljali in Mangaldoi.

Five persons, including two policemen, were injured in a grenade blast triggered by the ULFA militants at Teliapatty in Nagaon.

June 30

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the ULFA was serving the interests of forces inimical to India, including that of the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Mrinal Hazarika, ‘commander of the 28th battalion’ of the ULFA, appeals to the other ‘battalions’ of the outfit to enter into a cease-fire for the sake of the people of Assam.

Telegraph reports that the peace talks between the Assam Government and the United Liberation Front of Barak Valley group will begin "very soon".

July 1

The ULFA mentions in the editorial of its mouthpiece Freedom that the security of sovereignty of Assam was never a precondition of the group, and it was only an agenda of talks. "The security of sovereignty of Asom was never a precondition of the ULFA. It was the media that hyped the issue of sovereignty and projected it as one of our preconditions," the editorial said, adding, "For peace talks with the Government of India, the ULFA had only two preconditions — any talks with the Government of India should be held in a third country and that should be under UN mediation. We, however, dropped these two preconditions also when the PCG went to New Delhi to do the spadework for the peace process."

July 2

Police said that the ULFA ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Barua and two other leaders, Chitraban Hazarika and Antu Chowdang, are respectively known as Kamruj Zamal, Mizanur Rehman and Khan Baba in Bangladesh. "We have compiled a detailed report vis-à-vis residential addresses, the Islamic names and business dealings of each and every militant leader currently staying in Bangladesh," an unnamed police officer said.

An engineer, Ajay Kumar, working on a highway project on the East-West Corridor and a contractor, Newa Singh, are abducted near Chirang on their way back from a Kokrajhar camp by the All Kamatapur Liberation Force militants.

Mangaldai police arrests three persons in connection with the June 29 killing of a surrendered ULFA cadre, Tapan Saikia, by ULFA militants at Jaljali in the Darrang district. They are identified as Ajoy Saikia, Bhaben Das and Bipul Deka.

July 3

Army arrested one ULFA militant, Manik Baruah, from Athrighat along the Baksa-Udalguri border. He is from the ‘707 Battalion’ of the outfit.

One surrendered NDFB cadre, Gopal Basumatary, is shot dead by unidentified militants at his residence under Salbari sub-division of Baksa district.

Army recovered an improvised explosive device weighing seven kilograms from an abandoned house at Kaurani Bazaar near Kumarikata in the Baksa district.

July 4

The Birsa Commando Force (BCF), under a cease-fire with the Assam Government since 2004, threatens to resort to violence in case of the Government’s failure to meet its demands. The outfit was initially demanding Scheduled Tribes status to the 70, 00000 Adivasis (tribal population) living in Assam. It later started demanding a separate State for the Adivasis.

Assam Government offers security to the leaders and cadres of the ‘A and C companies’ of the ‘28 battalion’ of the ULFA, who had recently declared a cease-fire, similar to the kind of protection provided to surrendered militants.

July 5

Unidentified militants kill Subash Ramchiary, a member of the youth wing of the Bodo People’s Front (BPF) at Giruapara in the Baksa district.

The ULFA ‘commander’ Jiten Dutta said that leaders and cadres of the ‘28 battalion’ of the outfit would not lay down arms though it had announced a unilateral cease-fire with the Government.

The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa said the outfit will not dissolve the People’s Consultative Group constituted by it to facilitate the peace talks.

July 6

Nearly 150 surrendered ULFA cadres of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia gather at Chabua and urge the Union Government, Assam Government and the ULFA leadership to "look beyond their respective rigid stands and simply come forward for direct talks."

July 7

The ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa said that three pro-talks leaders of the ‘28 battalion’, Mrinal Hazarika, Moon Borah alias Jiten Dutta and Joon Sonowal alias Joon Bhuyan, are expelled from primary membership of the outfit for ‘anti-organisational’ activities and initiating talks with ‘colonial India’.

Two ULFA militants, Prasanna Bora and Mintu Bhuyan, are arrested by the Assam Police at Chardwar in the Sonitpur district.

July 8

Three AANLA militants, including a woman, are arrested by the Bokajan police from Baghjan. They are identified as Arti Kujur, Madan Karmakar and Jamal Ali. Arti is allegedly involved in the Rajdhani Express bomb blast in early 2008.

Army recovers fuse wires and one kilogram of RDX from one Siddique Ali of Kumarkata village in the Goalpara district.

Around 5,000 people gather at an auditorium in Kakopathar in the Tinsukia district to endorse the path of peace chosen by a section of the ULFA’s ‘28^th battalion’.

July 9

One Central Reserve Police Force trooper, Deepak Kumar Mandal, is killed and four others injured when the Black Widow (BW) militants opened fire on them near Maibong in the North Cachar Hills 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 11

An improvised explosive device is recovered from a betel nut shop of one Dilip Mondal at Paglastan market in Bongaigaon.

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 16

One suspected NDFB cadre, Sumeswar Basumatary, is arrested from Kalagaon village under Howraghat police station in the Karbi Anglong district.

An IED is recovered by police in front of the residence of one Sahidur Rahman near Dakhin Tiamari village in the Dhubri district. Rahman is subsequently arrested in this connection.

A joint team of Assam and Manipur Police arrests two militants of the KCP-Military Council, Ishing Chaiba alias Naobicha alias Rishi and Chalamba, from Guwahati city.

July 17

The NDFB threatens to pull out of the cease-fire and take to arms once again, accusing New Delhi of dragging the peace process. "The central Government appears to be insincere towards resolving our grievances and if there is no forward movement in the peace process we shall be forced to go back to the jungles," said Gobinda Basumatary, general secretary of the NDFB.

July 18

A crude bomb weighing 10 kilograms is recovered from the Koimari market under Golokganj police station of Dhubri district.

The ULFA ideologue, Bhimkanta Buragohain, is remanded to 14 days judicial custody in connection with the various charges against him under the Arms Act.

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.

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 21

Two Islamist militants are arrested by Army personnel from Nayahat and Machhmara villages in the Dhubri district.

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

One trader, Pankaj Sarmah, while returning from Gogamukh to Dhemaji town, is abducted by suspected NDFB militants for ransom.

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 25

One trader, Pankaj Kumar Bezbaruah of Tihu area in Nalbari district, who was abducted by three 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 26

Two militants of the Manipur-based UNLF are arrested by the Assam Rifles personnel from the outskirts of Silchar town.

July 27

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

One Bodo People's Front party leader, Rimal Mushahary, is shot dead by unidentified militants at Sapkata under Gossaigaon police station in the Kokrajhar district.

The dead body of an engineer, Achinta Kalita, who was abducted by suspected militants from Namrup in the Dibrugarh district on July 23, is recovered from Disang River under Sonari police station.

One All Kamatapur Liberation Front cadre, Umananda Ray, is shot dead by troops at Tirimarighat in the Chirang district.

July 29

Two NSCN-K militants, Alen Nokte and Tanwang Tingkathra, are arrested by the Army at Towkak in the Sivasagar district.

July 30

Assam Tribune repots 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.

Assam Police arrest nine NDFB cadres from Habrubari under Gossaigaon police station.

Two ANLA cadres, Mikhail Bina and Raju Gaur, are arrested at Golaghat. They confessed that a large number of the outfit’s cadres are being trained by the Maoist insurgents in Jharkhand.

July 31

One HuJI supporter is arrested from Guwahati city with a large quantity of explosives.

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

August 3

Two bombs are recovered from near the railway tracks in the Maniari area under Mirza police station in Kamrup district by the Assam Police. Superintendent of Police (SP), Debojit Hazarika, said that the bombs were found in a bag abandoned by two youths who managed to escape after being noticed by the Police. "For the first time in the State, liquid gel or paste was used in the bombs, as forensic tests confirmed. Moreover, high explosive Nitroglycerin Nitrocellulose (NGNC) was also used, which was packed with ammonium nitrate, in iron pipes and plastered with cement for maximum impact," he added.

Police neutralised a temporary camp of a Naga militant group in the Borlengri area in Karbi Anglong district along the Assam-Nagaland border. While five persons are arrested from the camp, the police also seized five pistols, ammunition, a computer and other incriminating documents from the camp.

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.

Police arrested an extortionist belonging to the KLNLF, identified as Longki Phangchd, who was captured by the UPDS cadres while allegedly trying to extort money from the local traders at Kheroni market.

August 5

Two NDFB militants, identified as Aditya Mushahary and Pabitra Basumatary, are arrested from Doldoloi in the Karbi Anglong district.

Army arrested two ULFA cadres, Abdul Zumur Sheikh and Ismail Murmu, from Gossaigaon.

August 6

Assam Rifles and Rangapara Police arrested two Birsa Commando Force cadres, Rajib Boraik and Ajij Ansari, from Tarajuli Tea Estate.

Assam Police recovered an IED from two persons, Atowar Rahman and Safiqul Khan, at Howly fish market in the Barpeta district. The IED was later defused.

The cease-fire agreement with the UPDS is extended by six months till January 31, 2009, after a tripartite meeting among Union Government, Assam Government and the militant outfit is held to review the functioning of the Suspension of Operation arrangement and status of the agreed ground rules.

August 7

Telegraph quoting intelligence sources reported that a small group of the HuJI-B militants has infiltrated into south Assam’s Karimganj district from the Moulvi Bazaar district of Bangladesh to foment trouble in the run-up to Independence Day on August 15.

One person, Suresh Brahma, is killed and another, Bisho Goyari, was wounded when unidentified militants opened fire on them at Katibari under Tamulpur police station in the Baksa district.

Suspected ULFA militants triggered 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.

Army personnel recover five hand bombs planted in a bamboo groove at Charaideo in Sivasagar district.

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 kilometers range was recovered from his possession.

August 9

Assam Tribune quoting police source reports that a group of foreign explosive experts has managed to infiltrate into India with the objective of triggering off explosions in Assam and local cadres of the SIMI have been asked to provide logistic support to them.

During a search operation to arrest an ULFA militant, 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 suspected ULFA militants at Gouripur in the Dhubri district are recovered and later defused by the Army personnel.

One suspected NDFB militant, identified as Prasenjit Basumatary belonging to Bijni in the Chirang district, is arrested by Army. One Chinese hand grenade is recovered from his possession.

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 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 their possession.

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.

One MULTA cadre, Muslim Ali, is wounded by troops during an encounter at Muslim Ghopa village in the Darrang district.

An AASU leader of Dhubri, identified as Enamul Haque, receives threats over telephone from Islamist groups, jehadis and smugglers from Bangladesh for the awareness campaign that he has been carrying out in the border villages against activities by miscreants from across the border.

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 exploded on August 15. Another blast occurred near the parade venue at Kajalgaon in the Chirang district when suspected ULFA militants lobbed a grenade. None were injured in these incidents.

One teacher, Ushman Ali, and his wife, Reshma Bibi, are shot dead by unidentified militants at their residence in Ontaibari under Bengtol outpost of the Chirang district.

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.

Army personnel and Cachar district police arrest two Manipur based militants in two separate search operations at Silchar town and Banskandi village. They are identified as Sanjoy Singh, an UNLF cadre and Kamaruddin, a PULF cadre.

A leader of the ruling Congress party, Ibrahim Ali Laskar, is shot dead by unidentified militants at Harishnagar village under Katlicherra police station in the Hailakandi district.

August 17

One forest official, Sorvendra Johri, is killed and a school guard, Firoze Thausan, is injured during crossfire between cadres of the BW and DHD at Doyangmukh in the North Cachar Hills district.

August 21

The KLNLF outfit has given a 20-day ultimatum to all suspected Bangladeshi migrants and encroachers who have been illegally occupying the land of Karbi Anglong district.

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’.

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.

A NSCN-IM camp inside the Chingdol forest under Umrangsu block in the North Cachar Hills district is destroyed by the rival Black Widow (BW) militants. The report adds that the two outfits had developed enmity after the NSCN-IM cadres allegedly informed the Army about the whereabouts of the BW’s spokesman Phaiphrang Dimasa, leading to his arrest.

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.

Suspected militants make a bid to abduct a trader, Manoj Agarwalla, in the Udalguri district.

August 25

One eight-year-old boy, Jatin Agarwalla, while pillion-riding to his school on a bicycle with his elder brother, was abducted by two suspected militants in the Udalguri district.

One KLNLF militant, Monjir Rongphar, is shot dead by the Army at Jengkha under Kherani police station near the boundary between Karbi Anglong and Nagaon districts.

Guwahati Police arrest one Poornima Biswas and recover 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 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 that 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. Please wait for another day or two," Dutta said.

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.

One suspected Pakistani Inter–Services Intelligence (ISI) agent, identified as Mohammed Basir Ahmed, is arrested at Kokrajhar.

August 29

The Baithalangso police arrest a KLNLF leader, identified as Nakchon Teron, from Howraghat.

August 31

Army arrest 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.

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.

September 2

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

September 4

A KLNLF militant, identified as Arkli Hanse, was killed in an encounter with the Army at Tichangaon under Bokolia police station.

Three civilians were arrested by CRPF personnel from the house of Mainul Hoque, at Haibargaon in the Nagaon district along with 26 detonators and 6.5 feet fuse. Hoque’s wife was arrested while Hoque managed to escape.

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.

Two Adivasi Tiger Force (ATF) leaders were arrested near Thelamara police station of Tezpur district. They are identified as Deepak Gowala of Barpam Tiniali and Debananda Gowala of Garmara Pathar of Sonitpur district.

September 6

The KLNLF called for a 12 hour bandh in protest against the killing of one of its cadres on September 4 at Tisom Gaon under Bakalia police station by the security forces.

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.

Two KLNLF militants surrendered before 77th Mountain Brigade Commander Brigadier G. S. Chandel, Karbi Anglong Deputy Commissioner M.C. Sahu and Superintendent of Police K.K. Sharma at Howraghat. They were identified as Corporal Arlin Rongpi and Welson Rongpi. They deposited one 9-mm Browning pistol, three 40-mm UBGL grenades, one .303 single pistol and a cache of ammunition.

September 9

Unidentified militants shot dead a farmer, Jagat Bahadur Dhahal, at Sialdhara in the Baksa district.

September10

Unidentified militants opened fire indiscriminately in the market place at Bogajuli Belaisribazar in the Baksa district killing three persons. The slain persons were identified as Suresh Basumatary, Sabu Basumatary and Dominique Basumatary.

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.

Two cadres of an Islamist outfit were arrested by 21 Jat Regiment at Tulungia in the Bongaigaon district. They were identified as Abdul Kalam and Abdul Mazid.

September 14

Black Widow militants killed two persons in a hilly section between the Kalasang and Batsa areas under Maibong police station of North Cachar Hills district. The dead include a DHD militant, Dibakar Langthasa, and a civilian, identified as Subol Langthasa.

In another incident, Bongaigaon Police, led by Additional Superintendent of Police, Prasanta Dutta, arrest two NDFB militants from Bongaigaon town, while they are trying to extort money from a local businessman. The arrested NDFB cadres are identified as Dongsiram Narzary and Muktang Basumatory.

September 15

A civilian was killed and four others injured in a grenade explosion near the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) office at Haflong in the North Cachar Hills district.

Separately, a ULFA militant, identified as Uddhab Rai, was arrested by the security forces during a joint operation at Golokganj area in the Dhubri district

September 16

Two persons including a SF personnel were killed in a grenade explosion near the ASDC office of North Cachar Hills district. Three more persons were injured in the blast. The slain persons were later identified as Nishikanta Malakar, a resident of Haflong and Karambir Singh, a CRPF constable.

Dilip Nunisa, the ‘chairman’ of the DHD, alleged that the Black Widow outfit was behind the September 14 and 16 explosions near the ASDC office. However, Dinar Dimasa, ‘publicity secretary’ of the BW, denied of the outfit’s involvement.

Separately, 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 18

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

An 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.

A phone call threatening of serial bomb attacks across Assam was received in the police control room in Guwahati. The caller threatened to plant serial bombs in places like Guwahati, Tinsukia, Sibasagar, Diburgarh and Nagaon amongst a few other places.

Three powerful crude bombs were recovered from poultry cages at the residence of one Khalilur Rehman in Baniamari part 2 of Dhubri district.

September 19

A supporter of the BPPF was killed by unidentified militants at Goramara village under Barama Police Station of Nalabari district. The victim, Papu Ramchiary, a resident of Alakjar village was on his way to Anandapur when he was abducted by two unidentified militants forcibly on their motorcycle. Later, he was killed in an open place at Gormara village.

Six bombs were recovered during a search operation from the Bilasipara subdivision of Dhubri district. Three of the bombs were recovered near Bilasipara police station, while the other three were recovered from Baniamari village under Bogoribari police station. A person was later arrested in connection with the recoveries.

Somen Singh, an Imphal based UNLF militant was arrested by the Guwahati police from Lachit Nagar locality along with eight rounds of ammunition.

An unidentified KLO militant was arrested from an unspecified place in the Kokrajhar district on September 19-night.

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 20

Two NSCN-IM militants were killed at Chaiding between Dhansiri and Rangapahar in Karbi Anglong district. Fifteen people, including these two NSCN-IM cadres, died and around 40 fell seriously ill after inhaling a poisonous gas when they were pilfering crude oil from a goods train. Meanwhile, an unofficial source put the death toll at 30. Karbi Anglong Superintendent of Police K.K. Sarma, however, confirmed the deaths of eight persons, including two NSCN-IM cadres. The incident took place between Dimapur in Nagaland and Diphu railway stations in a dense forest along the Assam-Nagaland border.

A powerful bomb suspected to be a hand grenade exploded at Rangghar Chariali in the Sivasagar district, injuring 21 persons.

The Dhubri district police arrested two Bangladeshis identified as Ujjal Sheikh and Badal Sheikh from Jogomaya Ghat in Dhubri town. The two suspects had been roaming in the district in the guise of cooks when the police arrested them. The police, however, suspected them to be agents of some militant group.

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.

The troops of 57 Mountain Division arrested one BW militant from Borolalbong area in the North Cachar Hills district, reports Sangai Express. An AK 56 rifles along with five live rounds and few extortion notes were recovered from his possession.

September 24

One person was injured when a bomb exploded in the green room of Abahan theatre just before evening show at Borkola under Kalaigaon police station in Udalguri district.

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 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.

The pro-talk faction of the DHD has expressed its willingness to extend its manpower for providing security for the construction of Silchar-Lumding broad gauge railway line, particularly in the North Cachar Hills district. In a meeting with Assam Home Commissioner Rajib Bora, the DHD chief Dilip Nunisa conveyed this offer.

September 26

Seven suspected HUJI terrorists were killed in an encounter with the Army at Bashbari under Rupshi development block in the Dhubri district. Six revolvers, three grenades, two gelatin sticks, six detonators, about two kilograms of explosives, some Bangladeshi currency notes, a Bangladeshi mobile SIM card and addresses of some hotels in Bangladeshi were recovered from the slain militants’ possession.

One civilian, identified as Ganesh Roy, was shot dead by unidentified militants at Lakriguri in the Chirang district.

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 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.

A bomb kept in a suitcase and placed near the Nalbari Deputy Commissioner’s office was recovered by security personnel in Nalbari town.

September 29

The 16th Battalion of the BSF recovered one grenade, nine INSAS ammunition, one SLR magazine and one countrymade pistol from a hut at Dolamora in upper Dadhora of Karbi Anglong district.

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 30

A total of 305 armed militants of the ULFBV led by its ‘president’ Pancharam Apeto, surrendered at the ITA Cultural Complex in Guwahati in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and top police and Army authorities. The militants also laid down arms and ammunition, including three AK-47 rifles, an M-16 rifle, 60 .12 guns, four grenades, two mortar cells and 158 rounds of AK series ammunition.

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.

The cease-fire agreement between the Union Government and the NDFB was extended by three months.

October 2

A NSCN-K cadre was shot dead in a shoot out with Assam Police at Longti colony in the Karbi Anglong district. Three civilians were also injured in the incident.

Media reports indicated that the Manipur based PULF planned to carry out subversive activities at Silchar and Karimganj during the Durga Puja Hindu Festival. At least four cadres of the outfit recently visited Dimapur in Nagaland for procuring IEDs from the NSCN-IM.

October 3

The publicity secretary of DHD, Dhonsiri designated camp, Suraj Dimasa was gunned down by two youths who were in his Maruti 800 car (AS092199) near the police point at Diphu in the Karbi Anglong district. He was rushed to hospital where he was declared dead.

Security forces of the 11th Maratha Regiment arrested two AANLA militants at Narambeel under Gossaigaon subdivision in Dhubri district and recovered two 303 rifles and two magazines from their possession. Later they are identified as Egnos Popo and Samrel Kuzur.

A powerful bomb was recovered from a Sivasagar- bound private bus during a routine check at Lakhinagar and six persons were detained by the police for inquiry.

In a statement during NDFB’s 22nd anniversary at a designated camp at Kumguri in Kokrajhar district, its president Ranjan Daimary said they were in favour of peace and a negotiated settlement of the conflict but the Indian authority at centre were not responding properly and threatened to pick up the gun against the Centre, accusing it of dictating to the outfit.

In a statement, Assam Police said that Assamese youths are being recruited by Pakistan-based militant outfit LeT to carry out terror strikes in India.

October 5

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi blamed the NDFB, a militant outfit, for recent clashes between Bodos and Muslim population in north Assam. Gogoi threatened to withdraw the ceasefire agreement with NDFB if the outfit’s involvement is confirmed. The NDFB denied the allegation and said the Muslim militant groups were involved in the violence.

October 7

The CRPF and army personnel arrested four NDFB and BPF cadres at Adhaibari near Nagrijuli in the Baska district on charges of killing of one Charbanu Begum and her two-year-old son Chiraj Ali. Out of these four militants, B Dahor and Jabrang Boro belongs to NDFB who were directly involved in the incident. The two other militants were identified as Diganta Narjari of Ouguri village under Goreswar Police Station and Adumba Swargiary of village Bagdua who belong the BPF.

Reacting sharply on the formation of a new organisation known as UKNLF, the publicity secretary of KLNLF, R Dera, said that the new armed organisation has been set up solely to divide the Karbi people and it is nothing but a political conspiracy by the government before the parliamentary elections.

October 10

An NDFB militant, Tarzan Boro of village Bannibari under the Barpeta Road Police Station, was shot dead by unidentified militants at 2 No. Kekerikuchi under Gandhibari out-post of the Tamulpur police station in the Barpeta district.

Media reports indicate that the Assam Police would arm its police with weapons recovered from militants to meet the rising demand for sophisticated arms. According to Assam Police, there was a large stockpile of weapons available with the police, following the growing number of surrenders by militants. A source said, "Getting monetary sanctions for buying new and costly weapons is not always easy because of various reasons. Yet the requirement keeps increasing every day. So, it has been decided that we will use the weapons brought in by the militants."

October 11

A bomb weighing three kilograms was recovered from a bus near a hotel in Nalbari. The bus was on its way from Barpeta Road to Guwahati. Three persons were arrested in this connection.

October 12

Two NSCN-IM militants were shot dead at Mahur town near Haflong in the North Cachar Hills district by their own comrades. The latter had joined the NSCN-IM after defecting from the rival NSCN-K faction. The slain militants were identified as "Captain" Chinaochung Chamroy, son of Changkhareng of Halang village and "Sgt Major" Ngachanreithingpam of Phatang village, both hailing from Ukhrul district of Manipur.

A hand-made grenade was recovered from the Bhagaduttapur area under Dispur police station in the Kamrup district.

Security forces of the 72 Field Regiment of the Army arrested a PLA militant, Mangal Singh of Shivtilla village under Pailapur police station the Silchar area of Cachar district. Some incriminating documents were seized from the militant.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said his Government has decided to go for a CBI inquiry into the recent violence in the Udalguri and Darrang districts. He also said the government will review the cease-fire agreement with the NDFB following allegations of its involvement in the recent violence.

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 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.

Media reports indicated that 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.

October14

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.

Two militants of the MULTA, Abdul Mannan and Samsul Haque, were arrested by security forces from the Kachuwa Gadhara area of Nagaon district. They also deposited two grenades and a pistol.

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.

Assam Public Works (APW) claimed that there are over 50,000 SIMI and HUJI members active in Assam. APW chairman Abhijit Sarma told newsmen at Guwahati that Assam is going the Jammu & Kashmir way. APW has long been demanding Army operations in 'char' and other riverine areas of Assam on the ground that the 'char' areas in the State have become breeding ground of anti-Indian activities due to large-scale presence of Islamic fundamentalists. He further added that, "The communal clashes at the two districts were initiated by the Islamic fundamentalist forces like HUJI and the SIMI at the behest of the ISI. They did it to avenge the killing of seven HuJI militants by the Indian Army on September 26 last in Dhubri district." According to APW, the SIMI and HUJI cadre strength at Dhubri is 4000, Goalpara with 8000, 3700 in Barpeta, 4212 in Darrang, 3728 in Nagaon, 1850 in Guwahati, 3018 in Morigaon, 3280 in Karimganj, 1184 in Cachar, 6078 in Hailakandi, 2075 in Bongaigaon and 400 in Nalbari.

October 16

Two suspected HuJI militants were shot dead by the 4 Kumaon Regiment of the Army during an encounter at Krishnai in the Goalpara district. They were identified as Mofidur Rahman and Salam Ali. A 7.65mm pistol, 4rounds ammunition, one IED weighing eight kilograms, detonators and a Chinese grenade were recovered from them.

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

An IED was recovered by the Army personnel from a Dibrugarh bound Arunachal Pradesh State Transport Corporation bus coming to Khonsa near Nagahat at Jaipore in the Dibrugarh district. The IED was kept in a pressure cooker in an unattended bag under a seat. Four persons were arrested.

A joint team of the Guwahati city police and the Army arrested four arms suppliers near Patharquarry village under Satgaon police station. Police also recovered a 7.65 Italian-made pistol, a magazine along with seven rounds of ammunition from their possession. The arrested persons were identified as Manoj Das, Gautam Owal, Sameer Daimary and Santosh Thapa.

Four KLNLF militants surrendered before the BSF personnel at Guwahati. They were identified as Hun Rongphar, Jiten Rongphar, Edwin Hanse and Sanjit Tokbi. The surrendered militants deposited three pistols and several magazines.

October 17

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

Army personnel of Bihar regiment at Lilabari arrested a NDFB militant, Subham Basumatary, from Banderdewa area under Laluk police station of Lakhimpur district, along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. Five cartridges and a 9mm pistol were recovered from his possession.

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 19

The dead body of a trader, Prasenjit Dhar, was recovered from Bor Lengri in the Karbi Anglong district. He was reportedly abducted by suspected militants from his residence at Dimapur in Nagaland on October 17.

Police arrested a KLNLF militant, identified as Kargo Singha, from Arleng village under Howraghat police station.

Guwahati city police arrested eight unidentified militants from various places across the city in connection with the abduction of the Sarawgi brothers a few days back from Kamakhya area under Jalukbari police station. Police recovered two four-wheelers and five bullets of 9-mm pistol from their possession.

October 20

The Barpeta police led by Superintendent of Police Dhrubajyoti Mukherjee recovered two IEDs kept hidden in a residential complex in village Dattakuchi under Howli police station. The IEDs weighing five kilograms each were recovered from the residence of one Raijuddin Ali.

October 21

The troopers of 5 Rajputana Rifles arrested three KLNLF militants and a UPDS militant at Rangapara village near Deupani under Bokajan police station in central Assam’s Karbi Anglong district. One Chinese-made M-20 pistol with six rounds of live ammunition was recovered from them.

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 said that "The Government of India is open to talks with any militant groups including ULFA provided that they should stop violence first".

October 22

The decomposed bullet ridden dead body of a person, Dilip Singh Bey, a junior engineer of PWD, was recovered from the Sankartila village under Bokajan police station in the Karbi Anglong district. He had been abducted by unidentified militants from Horiojan village on October 14.

Guwahati Police arrested a NDFB militant, identified as Deepak Basumatary, in connection with the abduction of Serawgi brothers. Police recovered the licence and ATM card of Serawgi brothers and a money receipt belonging to NDFB from the possession of the arrested militant.

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.

In a statement, DHD has strongly condemned the serial killing, kidnapping of innocent women, civilian and DHD cadres by BW. The DHD also condemned attack on Ms Rantha Thaosen, wife of Srimongol Dimasa, at Maibang police station. The outfit further added that the BW is a gang of killers and not a revolutionary organization. BW is fighting neither for the Dimasa people nor for the people of North Cachar Hills. The BWand their conspirators had been planning to disturb the peace process started by DHD which was anti Dimasa, anti social and anti development, the DHD alleged.

October 24

Two persons, including a woman, were killed and several others sustained injuries when militants set ablaze a passenger bus plying from Imphal to Guwahati at Naorijan area of Karbi Anglong district. The slain passengers were identified as Robert Golmei of Tamenglong district in Manipur, an army personnel posted at Siliguri in West Bengal, and Gimphaliu, a 60 year old woman of Chalhaiba village in the Churachandpur district of Manipur. Later, Manipur-based KLA outfit claimed responsibility for the attack.

Police claimed to have 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.

Altogether 305 surrendered cadres of the ULFBV joined the District Congress Committee of Hailakandi.

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.

The Dhubri District Police seized crude arms and explosives from a factory at Tambakubari-I village under Bogribari police station. Khaibor Ali, an arms supplier who used to run the factory, was arrested. Police claimed to have foiled plans to trigger a blast in the run-up to Diwali (Festival of Light) celebrations. The factory supplied firearms and ammunition to militant groups, including the MULTA and bandit gangs operating in lower Assam districts. Police seized 30 hand-made live ammunition of rifles, 197 empty cartridges of revolvers and pistols, 1 kilogram of explosives and 1.5kilogram of lead. However, five persons engaged in manufacturing arms and ammunition managed to escape.

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 27

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 28

Two KLNLF militants were killed by the Army personnel during an encounter near the Madarjuri anti-poaching camp of Panbari reserve forest in the Kaziranga National Park of Golaghat district. Two pistols were recovered from the possession of the slain militants.

October 29

A self-styled ‘sergeant major’ of the DHD, identified as Naikhlai Dimasa, was shot dead by the BW militants at his residence in Doyangbra of North Cachar Hills district.

SF recovered a crude bomb from the residence of a person, Abdul Mazid, at Harbhanga village under Gossaigaon sub-division in the Kokrajhar district. The bomb weighing one kilogram, which was reportedly planted by his son-in-law Jaffar Haq, was later defused by SF personnel.

October 30

A total of 77 persons were killed and about 300 injured in nine near-simultaneous blasts in Assam capital Dispur and adjoining city Guwahati and three other districts- Kokrajhar, Barpeta, and Bongaigaon. The first of the explosions was triggered at around 11.30 am near the Ganeshguri flyover near the high-security capital complex housing the Assembly building in capital Dispur, followed by explosions at Paltan Bazar and Fancy Bazar in Guwahati city within five minutes. Around the same time, bombs also exploded in crowded market places of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Barpeta districts of the lower Assam. At least 41 persons were killed in three blasts in Guwahati. While at least 21 persons were killed in three serial blasts in Kokrajhar, 15 persons were killed in twin blasts in Barpeta Road town of Barpeta district. 10 persons were injured in the Bongaigaon blast.

The ASP Bongaigaon district, Hridayjeet Barman, and the DSP Prasanta Dutta, were injured when a bomb planted on a motorbike exploded while it was being moved to a safer location. According to police sources, an unidentified person called up the police and informed them about the bomb on a motorbike, parked in front of Town Store near Paglastan petrol pump. After receiving the information, a police team led by Bongaigaon ASP and DSP along with CRPF personnel recovered the bomb. After observing the nature of the bomb, they were carrying it towards the nearby bus stand. But on the way, the bomb exploded injuring two police officers, three CRPF security personnel and two civilians.

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.

In a separate incident, BW militants killed at least seven police personnel at Langlai near Thujuari of North Cachar Hills district. Three militants were also killed in the retaliatory firing. Haflong police sources said that the BW militants opened fire on the police party who were carrying the body of a DHD leader, Naklai Dimasa, who was killed by the BW militants on October 29 from Haflong Civil Hospital to Diyongmukh after the post mortem. Out of the seven slain police personnel, four were constables in the 8th Battalion of Assam Police; two were from the District Armed Branch and one Home Guard. Meanwhile, Dinob Dimasa, spokesman of Black Widow, denied the outfit’s involvement in the ambush.

Army personnel of the 4 Corp recovered a bomb from the residence of one Ajijur Rahman of Goroimari–Salanibari area in Tezpur. The bomb was kept hidden in a cow-shed. The owner of the house Ajijur Rahman was arrested.

October 31

A relatively new outfit Islamic Security Force of Indian Mujahideen (ISF-IM) claimed responsibility for the October 30-serial blasts in Assam. The ISF-IM sent an SMS message from a mobile number 9864693690 to a local television channel claiming responsibility for the serial explosions. Police tracked down the mobile number to Moirabari in Nagoan district of Central Assam and found that it was registered in the name of one Mohammed Nazir Ahmed. The mobile was switched off immediately after the sending the SMS. Police sources informed that the outfit was formed in the year 2000 in Dhubri district to protect the interests of religious minority against Bodo militant groups, including NDFB and BLT.

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.

A top Bangladesh official said, "It is irresponsible on the part of Indian authority for alleging HuJI-B’s role in the serial blast without any primary investigation and proofs". This comment came as Indian security officials probed a possible link between HuJI-B and the ULFA behind October-30 serial blasts in Assam.

November 1

The Army told the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that it had intercepted a message from Calcutta a week before the October 30 serial blasts in Assam saying, "Attack Guwahati,". Lt. Gen. B.S. Jaswal, GOC of the 4 Corps, told Singh the army had received "non-specific" information on September 17 about possible strikes in Guwahati, Barpeta Road and Kokrajhar, according to State Minister Bharat Narah. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi also corroborated the reported revelation made by the Army.

November 2

The death toll in the serial bomb blasts in Assam rose to 81 with four more persons succumbing to their injuries in Guwahati. While three died at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital, another died at Basistha Army Hospital, official sources said, adding that the conditions of 20 other injured persons were critical.

November 3

Three civilians belonging to non-Assamese community were killed by KLNLF militants at Bamuni Sukanjuri village under Samaguri police station in the Nagaon district bordering the Karbi Anglong district. Police sources said that the killing was the result of failure of the victims to meet the extortion demands by the militants.

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. Police also arrested three other ULFA linkmen, Bhaskar Kalita, Sourav Kalita and Vikash Kalita subsequently.

Army personnel arrested ULFA linkman, Lachit Rajkonwar, from his residence at Bengenabari in Charaideo subdivision of Sivasagar district.

The death toll in the October 30 serial blasts rose to 84 with three more people succumbing to their injuries.

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 1 kilogram of 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.

Police and security personnel during a search operation recovered a .303 rifle, two rounds of ammunition and country boat from Sitalmari char village under Moirabari police station in the Morigaon district. However, two suspected militants managed to escape.

The Guwahati city police and the Nabari police in a joint operation arrested three persons, Pradip Barman, Munindra Barman and Utpal Barman from Beltola area of Guwahati for their alleged involvement in the serial blasts of Assam.

November 5

The Assam Police released the sketch of a suspect for his involvement in the serial bomb blasts. Police said the sketch "tallied 77 per cent" with the descriptions provided to the artist by the witnesses of the person suspected to be behind the explosion at the Deputy Commissioner’s office compound in Guwahati where the chief judicial magistrate’s court is also located.

November 6

Unidentified assailants shot dead Gayaram Boro alias Gayong, a surrendered NDFB militant at Silbari in Baksa district.

The Nalbari Police arrested seven persons from Mahina, Dhamdhama, Santipur and Baganpara villages on charge of providing shelter to the militants involved in the Guwahati blasts of October 30. According to police sources, the seven were picked up by the police, as Dinesh Boro, owner of the Maruti 800 car that had been used in the blast at the CJM Court in Guwahati, had telephoned them many times. Sources claimed that Dinesh Boro’s mobile phone has the records of his telephonic link with people in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The Chirang police arrested five militants of a newly built militant outfit, ULFB from Burijhar near Bengtol under the Chirang district. Among the arrested were president, vice president and general secretary of the armed outfit.

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 318 Field Regiment of Army and Sonari police recovered a cache of ammunition from two Nagaland bound night super buses (NL-11-1249 and NL07B/0081) at Towkok under Sonari police station on the inter-state border of Assam and Nagaland and arrested two persons including a woman in this connection.

November 7

One unidentified ULFA militant was killed during an encounter with Army personnel at Lakhipur under Borbori police station in the Baksa district. One 9mm pistol with three rounds live ammunition, some incriminating documents, two kilograms of explosive substances and the motorcycle used by the slain militant was recovered.

Assam police arrested five persons from Shantipur in the Nalbari district in connection with the twin blasts that rocked Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court and Panbazar area in the Guwahati city on October 30. The arrested persons were identified as Chandra Bodo, Raju Bodo, Bhola Bodo, Bhupesh Bodo and Arabinda Bodo.

Police identified the chassis and engine numbers of the Maruti cars used in Panbazar and Ganeshguri blasts though owners of those cars are yet to be traced. The car used in the Panbazar blast was registered in Delhi, while the car used in Ganeshguri explosion was registered in Arunachal Pradesh.

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.

An army patrol party found a two kilogram bomb packed with RDX planted under a concrete bridge on the Sonari-Sapekhati road in Sivasagar district, close to the Nagaland border, which was later defused by the bomb squad.

November 9

The security personnel arrested five NDFB militants, Majaram Narzary, Debnath Narzary, B. Narzary, Ramesh Basumatary and Samin Basumatary when they allegedly came to extort money from a businessman at Goreswar in Baksa district.

In addition to the seven arrested by the intelligence agencies from Nalbari and Baksa districts in connection with the serial blasts, one more person, Rajib Sainary was arrested. According to sources, the mobile phone of Thungi Boro, whose Maruti 800 car was used in the blast at Panbazar, was given by Sainary. Sources also added that, the mobile phone that was seized from Sainary has records of his communication to people in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

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.

Sentinel reported that the ULFA has launched a fund-raising drive in Sivasagar district. 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 Moran.

The investigating agencies claimed to have found clues that ULFA and NDFB carried out the Assam serial blasts 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 10

The Black Widow BW militants shot dead two Nepali speaking persons, identified as Dipak Chhetri and Tanka Chhetri at Kamala Tea Estate under Haflong police station in the North Cachar Hill district. The sources further confirmed that, the group of BW militants came to the tea estate and asked all the non-Assamese workers to stand in a queue and then opened indiscriminate fire. Two other persons, Ramu Sharma and Hari Chhetri were injured while others were managed to escape.

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

The 16th Battalion of the BSF arrested a KLNLF militant identified as John Rangpar of Saroti village, near Chokiwala in the Golaghat district. One China-made Hand Grenade, 6 rounds ammunition of 5.56 Rifle and one Pistol Magazine recovered from his possession.

The NDFB claimed that it was not involved in the serial blasts as alleged by the Government and called upon the authorities to bring the real culprits to book.

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."

The Superintendent of Police P.K. Dutta and District Magistrate Bhavani Prasad Sharma of Baksa District tried to gain entry inside the outfit’s camp at Borbori since November 11- morning. Though the Superintendent of Police involved the gaonburah (village head) of a nearby village in the process, the outfit refused to oblige to their request, saying that the permission can be granted only after an order from the top leaders of the group.

Army recovered a live bomb from Mazbat weekly market in the Udalguri district. The bomb was later defused by the security personnel.

November 12

Three persons were injured in a low intensity blast at Ekadi village under Hajo police station in the Guwahati city. However, the details of the incident are awaited.

The Guwahati City police arrested three persons, Sabin Boro of Rangagara (Udalguri), Tenzing Zengpo of Khemo village (Bhutan), and Deepak Basumatary of Barkuchigarh (Barama) in connection with the serial blasts in Guwahati on October 30. The police sources said that while Boro and Zengpo were involved in the blast at Ganeshguri, Basumatary was arrested in connection with the Panbazar blast.

Sivasagar Police arrested one Nihar Talukdar from a bus at Geleky village with 150 gelatine sticks and 400 detonators. He has reportedly confessed that he has been involved in illegal arms trade.

Assam Police arrested one Diganta Das alias Jitu from a public passenger bus at Amingaon and seized some arms and ammunition from him.

A powerful explosion was averted when the security force personnel recovered an explosive device weighing three-kilograms planted at Mazbat weekly market in Udalguri district. Police subsequently arrested three youths in this connection. Bomb experts from Darrang diffused the device.

The Black Widow outfit threatened to impose a ban on the movement of goods trains through North Cachar Hills district from November 15, if the Union Government does not declare a cease-fire with the outfit by then. Dinab Dimasa, publicity secretary of BW told reporters that the outfit has taken this coercive step in protest against the "apparent vacillation" of the Centre in declaring the ceasefire. The outfit had declared a unilateral truce on March 25.

November 13

Seven Bodo militants were arrested in a joint operation by Assam Police and Army from Belkoba in the Dhubri district for possessing illegal weapons. The police recovered one AK-56 rifle and 10 rounds of ammunition.

Two NDFB cadres were arrested by the SIT from the Baksa designated camp of the outfit for their alleged involvement in the October 30 serial blasts. The designated camp of the militant group was under siege by the security personnel for the last two days. According to sources, the SIT team arrested two accused R Khersa and B Phwthai who were said to be involved in the serial blasts.

The SIT probing the serial blasts of October 30 arrested another suspected NDFB cadre from Barama under Baksa district. The person has been identified as Bimal Mooshahary. Mooshahary, according to police sources, is an explosive expert and supplied explosives for the blasts that took place in Ganeshguri.

The BW cadres have started attacking goods trains that goes though the NC Hills district, before the expiry of the ultimatum served on Union Government by the outfit to declare a cease-fire before November 15. Railway sources said that militants fired at a goods train in between Jatinga and Bajatar at around 2.10 pm, which damaged a portion of the engine. However, no one was injured in the incident. Running of trains in the area was suspended after the incident.

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 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.

The Home department has decided to act tough with the NDFB and keep watch on their movement round the clock, those who are staying in designated camps in view of their alleged involvement in the October 30 serial blasts, reports Telegraph. Superintendent of Police (SP) of the Baksa district PK Dutta said that the police will keep a watch on the movement of the outfit’s cadres. An ‘out pass’ will be issued to the cadres who go outside the camp and they would be given four hours to return.

November 14

Assam Police arrested one more NDFB militant, Pradeep Basumatary, from the Borbori designated camp of the outfit under Baksa district, in connection with the serial blast of October 30. Police said that Basumatary who was a self-styled ‘lieutenant’ of the NDFB was involved in the Panbazar blast.

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.

The police in Cachar district were placed on round-the-clock high alert after an intelligence input revealed that Silchar town, the district headquarters, may be targeted by terrorists. At a high-level meeting of district officials on November 13, Cachar superintendent of police Violet Barua said the army’s intelligence wing had alerted the district police a few days ago about the possibility of bomb blasts in the town. A red alert was immediately sounded in the district. The army has begun a search and frisking drill in different areas of the town. Barua, however, declined to name the places that were likely to be targeted in the town. Cachar and Karimganj districts are known as transit points for militant outfits and fundamentalist gangs of the Northeast, which sneak in from Bangladesh.

November 15

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

November 16

A joint team of the army, Assam Rifles and police recovered two kilograms of explosives, 26 detonators and 50 metres of wire from the residence of one Mainuddin Haque at Bihubar in the Sivasagar district.

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 17

A civilian, Newton Saikia, who was wounded in the October 30-bomb blasts, succumbed to his injuries at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital, raising the death toll of the serial bomb blasts to 87.

Two NDFB cadres were assaulted by the locals and subsequently handed over to police in the Kamrup district. The report added that they were caught by people when they were trying to steal a motorcycle to be used in bomb blasts.

November 18

Assam Police announced the name of the key conspirator of Assam serial bomb blast of October 30. He was identified as Dipak Basumatary, a self-styled ‘lieutenant’ of the NDFB, who was in jail when the bomb blasts were triggered. He was the chief planner of the serial blasts which killed 87 persons and wounded more than 200 others. He was arrested by the police on October 22 in an abduction case a week before the blasts but police failed to ascertain his bomb blast game-plan.

SFs arrested a person, Najim Khan, from Hatigaon in Guwahati for his suspected involvement in the October 30 serial bomb blasts at Bongaigaon town.

Union Ministry of Home Affairs source reports that Assam, Manipur and Nagaland accounted for over 90 per cent of violent incidents in the Northeast in 2008. These three States accounted for 1,179 incidents out of 1,276 till October 15, 2008 against 1,330 incidents out of 1,489 in 2007.

November 19

Three unidentified MULTA cadres were arrested by the security force personnel from Sonitpur district.

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 joint force of the CRPF and Army arrested a ‘sergeant major’ of the NDFB, identified as Bipul Daimary, from Boglamari in the Baksa district.

SFs 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 20

An unidentified ULFA militant was shot dead by the troops during an encounter on the embankment of Bornadi at Hindu-Moijali village under Baihata Chariali police station in the Kamrup district.

The 17 J&K Regiment of Army and Assam Police, in a joint operation, neutralised a camp belonging to the BW outfit at Lankhowal village in the North Cachar Hills district.

A preliminary probe by the SIT revealed that two perons accused in the October 30 bomb blast case, Fhunka Barman and Bimal Mooshahary, had built up a network of terror modules in various parts of Assam before carrying out the terrorist attacks.

November 21

The suspected NDFB militants attacked and damaged the residence of the former president of the Karbi Anglong unit of the BLT, Rijen Basumatary, at Sanarijan village in Langhin of Karbi Anglong district. The NDFB cadres opened indiscriminate fire at his residence and damaged valuable property. However, no casualty was reported in the incident.

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 22

Two unidentified militants shot dead a correspondent of the vernacular newspaper Amar Asom, Jagjit Saikia, at R.N. Brahma Road in the Kokrajhar district.

The troops recovered an explosive device from the weekly market near Solmari in the Kamrup district. It was planted inside a culvert of the Irrigation Department storehouse.

November 23

A person, identified as Thanga Hmar, was arrested by Haflong Police when he came to Haflong market to serve an extortion note in the guise of the KNF area commander, Stenli Kuki.

The Government Railway Police and Haflong Police arrested a person, identified as Rabindra Das, along with 25 kilograms of explosives from Badarpur-Lumding special train at Harangajao station in the North Cachar Hills district.

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.

November 24

An encounter between the Army and KLNLF militants took place at Tarlong in the Diphu district. However, no causality was reported from the incident site.

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 25

Around six KLNLF militants managed to decamp with the gun which they snatched away from the SF personnel belonging to the anti-poaching unit of the forest department in the Kaziranga National Park.

SFs arrested two NDFB militants, identified as Lauga Boro and Gobinda Musahari, from Pub Brahmasiari village under Borbori police station in the Baksa district. Two kilograms of RDX, a 9-mm pistol and ammunition were recovered from the possession of the arrested militants.

The Army neutralised a KLNLF camp at Chipilangsu in the Karbi Anglong district and recovered an AK-47 rifle, 33 rounds of M-20 ammunition, one KLNLF flag, three combat jackets, four blankets, and five kilograms of rice.

November 26

Three MULTA militants were arrested by the Army from Dalaigaon village in the Morigaon district. They were identified as Mohammed Dadul, Habibur and Azizul Haque. The Army also recovered one 7.62 mm SLR, one .22 pistol, one SLR magazine, four rounds of ammunition and one mobile phone from their possession.

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 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.

A NSCN-K militant, identified as Aumde Jane, was arrested by the BSF personnel from Haflong market in the North Cachar Hills district.

A person, Abitulla Khan, was arrested along with a crude bomb from the Solmara area of Sonitpur district. Army sources said that it was the third incident of recovery of crude bombs from the Solmara area within the past one month.

The police recovered a bomb from a passenger bus at the Inter-State Bus Terminus near Kotoky Pukhuri on the western outskirts of the Jorhat town.

November 27

A bomb weighing five kilograms was recovered and defused from a cattle shed of one Abdul Haque of Helanarpam near Howli in the Barpeta district. Abdul Haque and Farhad Ali, a resident of Sukmanah were arrested in this connection.

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 28

The dead bodies of two youths, identified as Omega Iswary and Biju Brahma, were recovered along the National Highway 31-C under Gossaigaon sub-division in Kokrajhar district. They belonged to Rajapara in the same district. Meanwhile, the BPPF party alleged that a new militant outfit, the Bodoland Royal Tiger Force, which was guided by former militants of the erstwhile BLT, was responsible for these killings.

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.

December 1

At least three persons, including a child, were killed and 30 others injured in a bomb blast suspected to have been triggered by the KLNLF in a passenger train at Diphu railway station in the Karbi Anglong district. According to police sources, the bomb was kept inside coach number 8209 of 901 Lumding-Tinsukia passenger train. The bomb exploded at around 8am (IST) as the train entered Diphu railway station. While no one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, an intelligence official said the KLNLF is a suspect.

Police arrested a person, Abdul Salam, with two detonators and some explosives during a search operation in the Hailakandi district.

December 2

A KLNLF militant shot dead a Hindi-speaking tempo driver and his cousin at Dolamora in Karbi Anglong district. Two victims were identified as Ram Kumar Sonar and Ruma Sonar. Police also recovered several spent cartridges of AK-47 rifle from the incident site.

5.5 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, 20 detonators and 18 metres of fuse wire were recovered from Tangaon along the Assam-Meghalaya border under Mancachar police station of Dhubri district. Police sources said five suspected couriers of the explosives were arrested from Tangaon near Mancachar town. They were identified as Mozibor Rahman, Moinul Hoque, Kalam Ali, Sahizul Hoque and Azabor Mondal. An intelligence source said the consignment of the explosives was brought from Bangladesh.

Two bombs were recovered from the ruling Congress party office at Dokmoka and a bus passengers’ shed under Hauraghat police station. The police said both the bombs were planted by suspected Karbi militants.

December 4

A 26-year-old labourer, identified as Inode Das, was shot dead by unidentified militants at Pub Athiabari Saukati Suba under Borbori police station in the Baksa district.

Activists of the AJYCP captured one M.P. Phan, a ‘Captain’ of the NSCN-IM, along with six milligrams of brown sugar when he tried to sell the drugs to one Habibur Rahman of Namtola under Sonari police station in the Sivasagar district. The duo was later handed over to the Sonari police.

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.

A counter-insurgency operation against the KLNLF was intensified following the recent blast on a passenger train in Diphu Railway station on December 1.

December 5

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

Dokmoka police recovered a handmade bomb in front of a namghar (prayer hall) at Parakhowa village under Howraghat police station in the Karbi Anglong district.

A suspected PULF cadre, Nijam Uddin, was arrested by troops based at Labak from Badri Bridge on National Highway -53 under Lakhipur police station in the Cachar district. He belongs to the part-II of Algapur village under Silchar police station.

December 6

Two ULFA militants were killed in an encounter with security forces personnel of Assam Police and 316 Field Regiment of the Army 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.

Nine persons, including two children, were injured in a bomb blast at a marketplace near Kheroni village in Karbi Anglong District. Police suspect the hand of the extremist outfit KLNLF behind the blast. The blast coincided with the KLNLF’s foundation day. It was the second blast suspected to have been triggered by the KLNLF in the past five days since the indefinite economic blockade called by the outfit began on December 2.

Eight KLNLF militants, identified as Minder Tisso, Temson Terang, Solman Phangso, John Hanse, Khonsing Singhner, Dhaniram Rongpi alias Mangalsing Rongpi, Kamsing Tisso and Lingdok Ronghang, surrendered before the Red Horns Division of the Army at Jagiroad in the Morigaon District. They also deposited three AK-56 rifles, one 9mm pistol and a cache of ammunition.

The police recovered a live bomb from near the office of the Autonomous State Demand Committee in Diphu town, which was later defused.

December 7

SFs arrested a MULTA militant, identified as Hafizur Rahman, from Bhomrabil under Gossaigaon police station in the Kokrajhar District. A pistol was recovered from his possession.

SFs neutralised a KLNLF camp at Langchitung under Dokmoka police station in the Karbi Anglong District.

The KLNLF announced that the ongoing economic blockade in Karbi Anglong District will continue without any respite and if the authorities don’t comply with the demand of the organization before long, it will go for a Karbi Anglong bandh (strike) for an indefinite period. R. Dera, ‘publicity secretary’ of the KLNLF, also informed the media over phone that militants who laid down their arms before the army on December 6 at Jagiroad were not members of the outfit.

December 8

Two NSCN-K militants, identified as Njeihingpe Pame and Jekey Riame, were arrested by a joint team of Police and Assam Rifles from Boro Haflong in the North Cachar Hills District. One M-16 rifle and 20 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the arrested militants.

SFs arrested one person, Sontosh Malakar, from his residence at Alisinga Natun Basti under Lanka police station in the Nagaon district. Police recovered some explosive materials from his residence. Police sources informed that the materials seized look similar to the materials used in the bomb that exploded at Forest Bazaar on December 6 in which nine persons were wounded.

A powerful time-bomb was recovered at Bazarbasti Jamuna Irrigation Canal Road near Bakaliaghat town in the Karbi Anglong District.

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.

The KLNLF withdrew its indefinite economic and road blockade, which has been on in the North Cachar Hills district since December 2. KLNLF chief P. Dili said the temporary withdrawal is due to a request from different social and political organisations of Karbi Anglong, which want an end to the crisis for the greater interest of development of the region.

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 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.

An IED was recovered from a cinema hall in Ambari village of Goalpara District when a film show was in progress.

December 11

Black Widow militants stormed Haflong sub-jail near Haflong Police station in the North Cachar Hills District and freed three of their fellow militants, identified as Daku Dimasa, Daniel Dimasa and Nalo Dimasa. According to Police sources, "a group of about seven BW cadres threw grenades and fired at the jail at around 5.25 a.m. in the morning and then stormed the jail to take away their three members". The jailor Lunlet Lhoubum was arrested for interrogation.

The personnel of 172 field regiment of Red Horns Division arrested a ULFA militant, Babul Deka alias Pulok Deka, from the Udalguri District.

The troops recovered six kilograms of explosives in a compartment of the Tezpur-Rangapara passenger train at Borgan railway station in the Sonitpur District.

December 15

The NDFB, held its general assembly meeting at Serfanguri designated camp in Kokrajhar District and elected B. Sungthagra alias Dhiren Boro as the new ‘president’ of the outfit. B. Sungthagra was previously the ‘vice-president’ of the outfit. He had been arrested in Gangtok, capital of Sikkim, on January 1, 2003 and was later released in 2008. He replaced Ranjan Daimary alias D. R. Nabla, who is based in Bangladesh. While security agencies described the election as a split in the outfit, NDFB sources denied any such development.

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.

The Union Government asked Bangladesh to desist from allowing militants of the Northeast region and Islamist groups like the HuJI to operate from its territory.

The Government of India set a deadline until December 16 for the Assam Government to furnish all case details relating to the serial bomb blasts in the State, and the Centre proposed to complete all formalities of handing over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation by December 18.

December 16

38 militants belonging to different 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 ULFA cadres. 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. 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.

The NDFB after revamping its office-bearers with B. Sungthagra alias Dhiren Boro as chairman at its general assembly meet at Serfanguri in the Kokrajhar District on December 15, the outfit’s ‘general secretary’ Gobinda Basumatary said, "Ranjan Daimary has not been removed. He is the ‘commander-in-chief’ of the NDFB, and we are ready to listen to his advice even today."

December 17

Guwahati Police arrested four KRA militants, identified as Moirenthen Somarandra Meithei, Ramen Singh, Jogender Singh, and Moirenthen Nauchasingh, from the Jorabat area in Kamrup District, while they were on their way to Shillong, capital of Meghalaya. All of them belong to Bishnupur area in the Imphal East District of Manipur. The Police also rescued two persons, Premjeet Singh and Chamba Singh, who were abducted by the militants from Behorbari under Baisistha Police station of Guwahati a few days back.

Five of the 11 criminals arrested by Gumla Police in the State of Jharkhand nearly a month ago in connection with the abduction of Sitaram Narsaria, a local trader, were identified as cadres of the AANLA, an outfit operating in Assam.

The Border Security Force arrested two Dimasa National Liberation Front (DNLF) militants in North Cachar hills District while they were on an extortion drive in Haflong. The duo was identified as Parthojit Thaosen and Babesh Naiding. Five rounds of ammunition, one mobile phone, a DNLF notepad and four rubber seals bearing the print of the DNLF NC Hills commander, DNLF Umrangsoo commander and the Haflong commander were recovered from their possession.

One Mazibur Rahman alias Majib of Muslimpatty under Hojai Police Station in the Nagaon District was arrested by the Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Hojai, Dharmendra Das, for his involvement in selling arms to militant outfits and other criminal organisations. Rahman is involved in selling arms to extremist groups and has clandestine links with KLNLF, DHD, anti-social elements. He was reportedly in Saudi Arabia in between 1992-94 and Mumbai for some years.

Telegraph reports that the NDFB is running an extortion racket along the Golaghat-Nagaland border, taking advantage of the disputed border area restrictions. "The NDFB cadres are operating freely in these areas and are involved in several extortion and kidnapping cases," Golaghat District Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar said.

December 18

A surrendered NDFB cadre, identified as Kamal Brahma, was shot dead by unidentified militants at Simlabazar Behguri in the Baksa District.

Army personnel arrested two KLO militants, identified as Manas Das alias Manu and Biswajit Sarkar, from Gossaigaon in the Kokrajhar District. A 9-mm pistol, two magazines, five rounds of live ammunition, 310 grams of brown sugar, two cell phones, a PAN card and diaries were recovered from their possession.

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 his possession.

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 21

Three AANLA militants were killed in an encounter with a joint team of Police and Army on the banks of the Bharla River under Panery Police Station in the Udalguri District. Two USA-made 9MM pistols, one Bulgarian-made .9 MM pistol and one Australian-made hand grenade were recovered from the slain militants.

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 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.

December 23

Unidentified militants shot dead a senior tea executive in Corramore tea estate located along India-Bhutan border under Harisinga Police Station in the Udalguri District. A tea industry source informed that Deputy Manager Gautom Kotoky of Corramore Tea Estate owned by McLeod & Russell Group of Companies was on duty when the incident took place.

Two ULFA militants 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 24

A low-intensity bomb exploded on the rail tracks near Bokajan in the Karbi Anglong District, five minutes after the Dibrugarh-bound Rajdhani Express train crossed the near by Khatkhati station. The rail track was partially damaged in the explosion. The bomb is suspected to have been planted by the AANLA, purportedly to avenge the recent arrest of its ‘commander-in-chief’ Nirmal Tirkey in Jharkhand.

A time bomb was found near the Machkhowa Assam State Transport Corporation bus stand in Guwahati.

SFs arrested two armed persons at village Kaporpora in the Udalguri District. They were identified as Ornap Basumatary of Jal Thang Para village in the Baska District and Dipak Basumatary of Darogasuba village in the Udalguri District. Two Italy-made 7.65mm pistols, two magazines and four live rounds of cartridges were recovered from their possession.

The Union Government has extended the Suspension of Operations agreement with the DHD for a year till December 31, 2009. According to official sources, the extension follows a tripartite meeting among representatives of the Centre, Assam Government and the DHD.

Shillong Times quoting a report published in Kathmandu Post, a leading daily of Nepal, reports that a team of Indian Army was currently in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu in search of Jewel Gorlosa, a leader of the BW, which is active in Assam. However, the Indian Embassy on December 24 denied the claims, the report added. According to the report published on December 17, there is information that Gorlosa had married a Nepali woman and has been staying as a hotel owner in Thamel or somewhere else in the Kathmandu.

December 25

A BW militant was shot dead by the Assam Rifles personnel at Khepre region in the Karbi Anglong District. An AK-series rifle, 30 rounds of ammunition and a wireless set were recovered from the encounter site.

The Basistha Police arrested two surrendered NDFB cadres, identified as Dharani Rabha and Madan Das, along with four extortionists, identified as Biju Kalita alias Pappu, Gokul Bora, Gagan Das and Tapan Das, from Lokhara area of Guwahati. They had allegedly come to collect money from a businessman of the locality.

Police arrested four AANLA militants in connection with the bomb blast on railway tracks at Matipul in the Karbi Anglong district.

A suspected militant belonging to an unidentified Naga group, identified as Diventho, was arrested from Manja in the Karbi Anglong District. Three 7.6mm pistols and six magazines were also recovered from his possession. According to sources, Diventho has been supplying arms to militant outfits like the KLNLF and BW.

The KLNLF warned the Assam Government and the Karbi Autonomous Council that it should not be held responsible for any violence against Hindi-speaking community in the days ahead.

December 26

Police recovered a bomb, weighing 14 kilograms, kept inside a suitcase by suspected militants at New Dudhnoi station in the Goalpara District.

Army personnel recovered an improvised explosive device weighing five kilograms from the Daily Bazaar in Guwahati.

Police arrested one more AANLA militant, identified as Sanjay Bhengra, from Baghjan area in the Karbi Anglong District, in connection with the bomb blast on railway tracks at Matipul of the same District on December 24.

December 27

Police identified two NDFB cadres, including a woman, who were allegedly involved in the October 30 serial bomb blasts in Assam. Superintendent of Police in the Goalpara District, Akhilesh Singh, said the duo was among six persons arrested in connection with an extortion case from Soulmari of the same District. Singh said interrogation of the arrested persons led to the revelation that Aghai Basumatary, a ‘sergeant’, and Jayanti Brhama, a ‘sergeant majors’, were involved in the bomb blasts.

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.

December 28

A BW militant, identified as ‘lance corporal’ Jon Sing Dimasa, was shot dead by Security Force personnel at a militant camp at Intangi under Kaladisha Kachari Basti in the North Cachar Hills District on Assam-Nagaland border. Troops seized an AK-47 assault rifle, some ammunition and a wireless set from the camp. The other militants, however, managed to escape into the adjoining dense forest.

A day after Ranjan Daimary alias D.R. Nabla issued a statement claiming to be the ‘chairman’ of the NDFB, the outfit’s ‘publicity and information secretary’ S. Sanjarang said in a press release that B. Sungthagra alias Dhiren Boro was its ‘president’, confirming the rift within the outfit. On December 27, in an e-mail to the media, Daimary said: "I am still the chairman of the NDFB, and I will continue my efforts for the self-determination of the Boros. The NDFB- BLT clash is over, and as such I request the ex-BLT cadres not to target the NDFB cadres. I have also ordered the NDFB cadres not to target any ex-BLT members," Daimary added.

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 29

The bullet-ridden dead body of Nityalal Kemprai, an auto-rickshaw driver who was reportedly missing since December 27, was handed over to Haflong Police by troops of the Sikh Regiment. Nityalal was reportedly killed in an encounter with the Army at Govinbasti, 16 kilometres from Haflong in the North Cachar Hills District. The Army claimed that the slain youth was a cadre of the BW. A Chinese hand grenade, a rifle, a radio set and six rounds of live cartridges were recovered from his possession.

December 30

An IED was recovered from Hatigaon area of Guwahati in the Kamrup District. The IED was planted in a distemper can, according to Police sources.

Police arrested four cadres of the BCF who were involved in setting fire to a bus near Monabari Tea Estate under Dhekiajuli Police Station in the Sonitpur District on December 27 during the Assam bandh (shut down). They were identified as self-styled Lt Sarai Orang, Sudhasan Horo, Silas Barla and Biman Kujur, who hails from Barpeta District.

The ‘commander-in-chief’ of the BCF, Birsing Munda, warned that the outfit might pull out of the bilateral cease-fire after the Government’s crackdown on its cadres following the December 27 bus burning incident in Sonitpur District.

The KLNLF and its armed wing the KNPR declared a unilateral cease-fire for two months beginning from January 1, 2009 to March 1, 2009. P. Dili, ‘chairman’ of KLNLF/KNPR, mentioned in a press release that the KLNLF does not want sovereign status or secession from India but wants Hemprak Kangthim (self-rule) within the ambit of the Indian Constitution.