Army soldiers recovered a large number of arms and explosives from six militants of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) who were captured in separate raids in Assam, officials said on Saturday.
An army official said the six rebels, including an explosives expert, were apprehended in the past three days from the western Baska district, about 90 km from Guwahati.
"The explosive expert Monu Das is part of the dreaded team headed by Hira Sarania who controls ULFA's operations in lower Assam," an army commander said, requesting not to be named.
Troops seized seven kg of explosives, detonators and grenades, wires for programmable timer devices, pistols, revolvers and ammunition from the arrested rebels.
Earlier this week, soldiers arrested an ULFA militant and seized a satellite phone, a SIM card of Asia Cellular Satellite Company, two phone batteries, two 12 bore single barrel rifles and a Chinese grenade.
"The rebels were also carrying extortion notices. The arrests were made with active support from locals who helped our raiding teams to accomplish the task," the official said.
In the past three months, the ULFA has carried out at least 24 bomb explosions in Assam, killing about 20 people and wounding scores more. The ULFA was also blamed for a string of attacks in January that killed about 80 people, 61 of them Hindi-speaking migrant workers.
{{/usCountry}}In the past three months, the ULFA has carried out at least 24 bomb explosions in Assam, killing about 20 people and wounding scores more. The ULFA was also blamed for a string of attacks in January that killed about 80 people, 61 of them Hindi-speaking migrant workers.
{{/usCountry}}New Delhi launched a massive military offensive against the ULFA after the strikes, killing 60 rebels and arresting about 600 more cadres since January.
A fragile peace process between the central government and ULFA representatives collapsed in September last year with New Delhi accusing the rebel group of stepping up violence and extortion in Assam.