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Bangladesh High Court has commuted the life imprisonment of separatist ULFA leader Paresh Baruah to 14 years imprisonment in a case under the country's Arms Act while acquitting several others. The two-judge bench commuted the life imprisonment of ULFA's Paresh Baruah and four Bangladeshis, an official of the attorney general's bureau said on Wednesday. United Liberation Front of Assam's (ULFA) now absconding military commander Baruah and several Bangladeshis, including former junior home minister and former military generals, civil officials and private citizens, were convicted of two charges in 2014 for their alleged attempt to smuggle 10-truck loads of weapons to ULFA hideouts in Assam. On December 18 last year, the High Court commuted the death sentence of Baruah. Baruah, who is believed to be living in China, was sentenced to death after a trial in absentia in 2014. His name also figures in the most wanted' list of India's National Investigation Agency (NIA). Ten truckloads o
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday called upon proscribed ULFA(I) head Paresh Barua not to indulge in any activity that will jeopardise the future of the youth when the state is poised to "become a powerhouse" in the next ten years. The planting of bombs across the state on August 15 is a "matter of deep concern which may affect the ongoing growth and development of the state", Sarma said at The Assam Tribune's Dialogue 2024' here. "We are marching strongly and resolutely. I am sure if the state remains peaceful, the eco-system remains the same and there is cooperation and enthusiasm among the youth, then we will become a powerhouse in India's landscape in the next ten years'', Sarma said. There is, however, deep concern regarding the planting of explosives across the state, he said, adding, "I take this platform to urge the ULFA(I) chief not to indulge in any activity that will jeopardise the future of the state's youth". The police had unearthed bomb-like ...
Two 'IED-like devices' were found in Guwahati on Friday, taking the total number of 'bomb-like substances' seized across Assam in the last 24 hours to 10 after the banned ULFA (I) claimed to have planted 24 explosives to trigger serial blasts in the state, a top police official said. One of the devices was found in Satgaon area, near Narengi Army Cantonment, and another at Last Gate in close vicinity of the state secretariat and ministers' colony, where the chief minister's residence is also located. The United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent), in an email to media houses, including PTI, on Thursday gave out a list identifying exact locations of 19 bombs with photographs but could not pinpoint the remaining five spots. ULFA said the blasts were scheduled to take place between 6 am and noon on Thursday but after failure in execution as the bombs did not explode due to 'technical failure', it sought public cooperation for defusing the explosive devices. "We had been carrying ou
The banned ULFA(I) on Thursday claimed to have planted bombs at 24 places across Assam, prompting the security forces to send teams to look for explosives. A senior police officer said bomb disposal squads have been rushed to all the places mentioned by ULFA (I) but there is no report of recovery of any bomb or explosive. In an email purportedly from the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) (Independent) to media houses, including PTI, the terror outfit asserted that the bombs did not blast due to "technical failure". It gave a list identifying the exact location of 19 bombs and said locations of five more explosives could not be ascertained. It sought public cooperation in defusing the bombs. When contacted, a senior officer at Assam Police headquarters told PTI that all the SPs of the districts, especially those mentioned in the list by the anti-peace talk faction of ULFA, have been alerted and asked to carry out a thorough search of the areas. "Bomb disposal squads, metal ...
The pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) on Friday signed a peace accord with the central and Assam governments agreeing to shun violence and join the mainstream. The agreement, signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, came after 12 years of unconditional negotiations between the ULFA faction led by Arabinda Rajkhowa and the government, officials said. The peace pact is expected to end decades old insurgency in Assam. However, the hardline faction of the ULFA headed by Paresh Baruah is not part of the agreement. Baruah is believed to be residing at a place along the China-Myanmar border. The ULFA was formed in 1979 with the demand for a "sovereign Assam". Since then, it has been involved in subversive activities that led to the central government declaring it a banned outfit in 1990. The Rajkhowa faction joined peace talks with the government on September 3, 2011, after an agreement for Suspens
Assam Chief Minister's Office has announced that a tripartite memorandum of settlement between the ULFA (pro-talks faction) and the central and state governments will be signed in New Delhi on Friday. 'A Memorandum of Settlement will be signed between the Government of India, Government of Assam and representatives of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) in presence of the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Sh. Amit Shah tomorrow at 5 pm in New Delhi', the CMO posted on 'X' on Thursday. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is scheduled to be present during the signing, also retweeted the post. A16-member delegation of the ULFA pro-talks faction, led by chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, reached New Delhi on Wednesday to hold discussions with Shah before the signing of the accord. The outfit's general secretary, Anup Chetia, has been camping in New Delhi since Monday and held talks with the peace interlocutor AK Mishra on Tuesday. The Centre had sent a draft of the
A tripartite accord is likely to be signed on December 29 between the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), and the central and Assam governments, aiming to bring a lasting peace in the northeastern state, sources said on Tuesday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and over a dozen top leaders of the pro-talks faction of the ULFA, headed by Arabinda Rajkhowa, will be present at the signing of the peace agreement here. The accord will take care of a host of long-standing political, economic and social issues concerning Assam, besides providing cultural safeguards and land rights to the indigenous people, the sources privy to the development said. The hardline faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), led by Paresh Baruah, will not be part of the agreement as he has been consistently rejecting the olive branch offered by the government. Two top leaders of the Rajkhowa group -- Anup Chetia and Sashdhar Choudh
ULFA (Independent) on Friday claimed responsibility for the blast near the gate of the army station in Assam's Jorhat district. The 'mild blast' had occurred on Thursday night in a dustbin near the army gate in the town's Lichubari area, a defence spokesperson said. Bomb experts have reached the spot and are ascertaining the explosives used in the blast, the spokesperson said. There was no casualty or damage due to the blast, the third such incident near security establishments after Tinsukia and Sivasagar since November 22. A massive search operation has been launched in the district and also in adjoining areas of Jorhat to nab the culprits. Security has been tightened and patrolling intensified across Upper Assam districts. ULFA(I), in the statement claiming responsibility for the blast, said the indigenous people had no cause to panic as the outfit is not against them but are carrying out the blasts due to the alleged efforts by the Director General of Police GP Singh to esta
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Sunday claimed that the state is on growth trajectory and asked the people of Assam to exert "moral pressure" on proscribed ULFA(I) chief Paresh Barua to give up his sovereignty demand. Sarma interacting with media persons here on New Year's day said criteria other than population should be considered for future delimitation exercises and the state police is keeping a strict eye on the involvement of Islamic clerics in 'jihadi' activities. The chief minister said Assam is on the growth trajectory after achieving considerable financial stability during 2022 and for the first time did not ddepend on the Centre for paying its employees' salaries. This has been possible due to increased oil royalty, excise, transport and GST collections. "There has been an increase in tax collection and this symbolises vibrancy in the economy. This has been possible due to the cooperation by the people and different organisations, leading to a new growth ...