Bangladeshis comprise half of ULFA’s lower cadre: Official

NEW DELHI - Half of the lower cadre strength of banned terrorist outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) is from Bangladesh, the paramilitary Assam Rifles chief Lt Gen K.S. Yadava said here Friday.

“ULFA has deviated from its ideology and 50 percent of their low cadre strength is constituted of people from Bangladesh. It is just now an extortion racket operating in the northeast,” Yadava told reporters on the sidelines of the force’s 175 raising day in the national capital.

“I do not think there (any) fight anymore against Hindi-speaking people. I personally believe the strength of hard core ULFA militants to be somewhere around 200,” he added.

Asked about the possible whereabouts of ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Barua in China, Yadava said: “I cannot comment until he is arrested.”

Yadav said Bangladesh had recently taken stern action against militants operating from its territory.

“They (Bangladesh) have arrested many senior leaders of militant outfits. It is a very encouraging step and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit would further strengthen the relationship between the two countries,” he said.

“She is expected to sign three treaties to control terrorism. It would be a dampener to militants operating on the other side as well as a moral booster for security forces,” he added.

Hasina would be on a three-day visit to India starting Sunday.

Assam Rifles was raised by the British to protect tea and timber from smugglers and unwanted elements. The force has 46 battalions that comprise 65,000 men deployed all over the northeast as well as along 1,600 kilometres of the India-Myanmar border.