ULFA-army clashes flare up once again

The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom has decided to go on an offensive against the Unified Command.

The ULFA has struck thrice in three days since Monday, January 3, in different parts of the state killing at least two soldiers and losing one of their own men. They used rocket propelled guns in these encounters sources said.

Meanwhile, the ULFA sponsored general strike in the Darrang district of North Assam severely affected life on Wednesday, January 5. The strike was called in protest against the killing in army custody of Ajit Kachari, self-styled chairman, central zone of the organisation.

The army, however, claimed that he died in an encounter.

"In the ongoing clashes between army and ULFA activists, ULFA's strategy seems to be to go on an offensive against the Unified Command. Yet another exchange of fire took place north of the Nonipara tea garden in the Darrang district on February 2," the sources said.

They said after lying low for the first fortnight after formation of the Unified Command the banned organisation had adopted the strategy to go on an offensive, which the sources claimed, would be dealt with firmly by the command.

Both the Digboi and Nalbari encounters were major ones where the banned organisation used sophisticated weapons like RPG. In Digboi two soldiers were killed and another four grievously wounded while in Nalbari one soldier was injured.

"The army patrol party led by an officer was accompanied by Abhijit Rabha alias Ajit Kachari who was arrested earlier and jointly interrogated by army and intelligence agencies. He divulged information about the ULFA camps across the border and has agreed to show the route and indicate sympathisers and safe house along the same," said a release of the army.

''When the patrol had proceeded approximately 3 km north of Nanoipara a chance encounter took place with an ULFA party. The officer suffered a bullet injury on his right leg while Ajit Kachari sustained a hail of bullets in his abdomen and chest and died on the spot,'' the army patrol claimed to have injured at least one militant who ran into the jungles.

One .38 revolver with some rounds and empty cartridges, SLR and carbine have been recovered from the site in addition to an empty magazine of US carbine and few rucksacks, the release added.

However, family sources alleged that Kachari was shot dead by army in a fake encounter as he had failed to provide any information during interrogation.

GOC-in-C Eastern Command Lieutenant General Ravi Eipo accompanied by Lieutenant General R K Sawhney, GOC 4 corps and Major General S K Awasthy held discussions with Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta last night on the Unified Command. Chief Secretary T K Kamilla was also present.

UNI