HT Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, May 29: Security forces foiled an alleged recruitment attempt by the banned United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) after apprehending three youths from Tinsukia district who were reportedly on their way to join the outfit.
The youths have been identified as Antu Moran (34), Bijoy Moran (28) and Newton Moran (22), all residents of the Pengeri Police Station area in Tinsukia district.
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They were apprehended by Lekhapani Police on Friday during an operation aimed at curbing insurgent recruitment activities.
Police said the arrests were part of an ongoing crackdown on ULFA-I’s efforts to expand its cadre base in the region.
“ULFA-I has been actively trying to recruit youths and engage in extortion activities in this border district,” a senior police official said, adding that an investigation is underway to identify others involved in the recruitment network.
Security agencies noted that Tinsukia’s proximity to Arunachal Pradesh and its strategic location have long made it a transit corridor for the outfit.
The route is often used to move recruits towards camps located across the international border in Myanmar.
Sources said ULFA-I has been targeting economically vulnerable and marginalised youths from remote villages in an attempt to strengthen its ranks.
Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of the outfit are allegedly involved in influencing and recruiting young people.
Following the arrests, security forces have intensified surveillance and operations across Tinsukia and adjoining areas to prevent further recruitment attempts and dismantle the outfit’s support network.
Officials also pointed out that several ULFA-I cadres have returned to the mainstream in recent years and have been successfully rehabilitated, leading normal lives after renouncing insurgency.
