63 insurgents give up arms in Assam, CM Sonowal welcomes them

This was the third major laying down of arms ceremony by rebels in Assam this year.

Updated on: Dec 22, 2020, 08:34:21 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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Former self-styled deputy commander-in-chief of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) Drishti Rajkhowa and 62 other rebels from four insurgent outfits of the region surrendered with arms and ammunition in front of Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday.

Rajkhowa, an expert in rocket propelled grenades (RPG), was the second most important man in ULFA-I after commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah. Rajkhowa had surrendered before security forces in Meghalaya last month.

A large number of arms and ammunition, including assault rifles, pistols, grenades, etc, were handed over by the rebels from ULFA-I, United Peoples’ Revolutionary Front (UPRF), Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) and Peoples’ Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK).

“It’s nice that several children of Assam who were engaged in anti-national activities have decided to return to mainstream and join in nation building. I welcome them all back,” said Sonowal at a function held at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati.

“Our effort would be to ensure proper rehabilitation of those who have given up violence. I urge those who have laid down arms today to avail the various schemes launched by our government to help them,” he added.

This was the third major laying down of arms ceremony by rebels in Assam this year. In January, three days after signing of the third Bodo peace pact, 1615 cadres of three factions of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) had given up arms.

The same month, 644 rebels of 8 militant outfits - ULFA-I, NDFB (S), Kamtapur Liberation Organisation, National Liberation Front of Bengalis, Rabha National Liberation Front, Communist Party of India-Maoist, National Santhal Liberation Army and Adivasi Dragon Fighter had laid down arms.

With Monday’s ceremony, the total number of rebels laying down arms in such big numbers and joining the mainstream increased to 2,323 this year.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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