644 cadres from eight banned outfits surrender in Assam

North-East

23rd January 2020

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inspects arms and ammunition handed over by cadres of different extremists during a surrender ceremony in Guwahati on January 23, 2020. (Photo Credit: AP)

Guwahati, January 23 (IANS) As many as 644 militants, belonging to eight banned outfits of Assam, laid down their arms in the presence of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, here on Thursday.

The insurgents belonged to ULFA(I), NDFB, RNLF, KLO, CPI(Maoist), NSLA, ADF and NLFB.

Surrendered militants from eight banned insurgent outfits are seen during the arms laying down ceremony at GMCH auditorium, in Guwahati, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020. A total of 644 militants of the insurgent groups ULFA (I), NDFB, RNLF, KLO, CPI (Maoist), NSLA, ADF and NLFB surrendered in presence of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today. (PTI Photo

While 50 surrenderees belonged to the ULFA (Independence), eight were from the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and 178 from the Adivashi Dragon Fighter (ADF).

Terming it as one of the largest instance of the terrorist surrender in Assam, Director General of Police (DGP) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said January 23 would henceforth be marked as a special day.

They deposited 177 firearms, a huge cache of ammunition and other explosives.

Welcoming insurgents to the mainstream, Sonowal called upon them to contribute in the process of nation-building. The surrender would give an impetus to the peace process in the state, he added.