In a major fratricidal attack, militants of the banned United LiberationFront of Asom (ULFA) killed 14 of their former comrades known collectively asSULFA (for surrendered ULFA) in upper Assam's Dibrugarh district on Thursdaymorning. Ten other SULFA members were injured in the attack, described as daringand skillful by security agencies.
According to Assam's minister of state for Home Pradyut Bordoloi, some50 SULFAmembers had assembled at the Moran Club this morning to discuss formation of anNGO when two car-loads of ULFA militants armed with hand grenades and automaticweapons Ak-47 rifles descended on the meeting venue, surrounded the former militants andfired indiscriminately killing 12 of them on the spot, while 2 others died onthe way to Assam Medical College. The assailants, who had come in two vehicles,fled immediately after the attack.
"The SULFA members had not informed the authorities about the meeting orsought security", he said.
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This is the biggest killing of SULFA members by the militants ever since thefirst batch of surrenders took place in Assam in March 1992. In the past decade,several surrendered militants have been killed by the militants but most of theattacks were on individuals.
The killings are likely to renew the fratricidal war between the two groupsthat had dominated Assam's security scenario in the late 1990s. In fact, duringthe previous Asom Gana Parishad regime, many SULFA members were used by thepolice and the army to sniff out the militants and kill them.
Bordoloi said the security of many vulnerable surrendered militants has beentightened and a joint operation launched by the army and the police to nab thekillers who had come an ambassador and a Maruti Zen car dressed in militaryfatigues.
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Meanwhile Sunil Nath, the former publicity chief of the ULFA, who was amongthe top militants who surrendered in 1992 and now runs a business has called theattack by the ULFA "foolish."
"Whatever little sympathy the militants had would be lost now," hesaid, adding, "This would also resume the fratricidal clashes," as awarning.
PTI adds
A Cowardly Act
Prominent SULFA leader Sunil Nath described the attack as a "cowardly act." TheSULFA men had approached him to open an NGO 'Sibsagar Vikas Parisad' for which they were holding ameeting when the ULFA ultras attacked.
"The ULFA is digging its own grave and the people are bound to distance themselves from such anorganistion," Nath, who is a former 'publicity secretary' of the ULFA toldPTI..
Today's attack is a climax to the rivalry between the ULFA and their erstwhile comrades-at-arms. During thepast three years there were several clashes between the two, official sources said.
Third Incidence of Violence
It was the third incident of violence since the Tarun Gogoi government came to power. Tenwoodcutters weremassacred by NDFB and nine Assam Rifles jawans were killed by ULFA (and/or NSCN)early this month in the two other incidents.
The sources said though "secret killers" were said to be responsible for some attacks on the family members ofthe ULFA, the SULFA hand was not ruled out by the police. ULFA 'publicity secretary'Mithinga Daimary's entire family consisting of his father, mother, brother and sisterwere killed as also ULFA 'chairman' Arabindo Rajkhowa's brother.
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Its 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah's house came under attack. The ULFA on the other hand killed topSULFA leader Avinas Bordoloi and two of his colleagues, besides attacking with rockets'Ushacourt', a residential complex where SULFA men stayed, the sources added.
A report from Jorhat said a total 20 sulfa men were injured including 15 who received minor injuries when theywere hit by splinters. All the injured were admitted to the Assam Medical College atDibrugarh.
The names of the 12 killed were Jintu Sarma, Ajit Changmai, Gafurruddin Bora,Molan Chetia, Muhie Baruah, Haresh Gohain, Parag Rajknowar, Manoj Agarwalla, KherudGogoi, Beren Gogoi, Susan Shyam and Paresh Bhorali.
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The two who died on way to the hospital were yet to be identified.
Vigorous Search Operations Ordered
Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi who happened to be in New Delhi has condemned today's killings of SULFA men by ULFA militants and has instructed the police to conduct vigorous search operations to nab the culprits.
In a message from New Delhi, Gogoi said, "such mindless violence could never solve any problem and the government would not allow terrorism to continue".
He has directed minister of state for home Pradyut Bordoloi and the director general of police H.K. Deka to take stock of the situation.
