Kokrajhar (Assam), April 11 (PTI): A cache of arms and ammunition including automatic rifles were recovered from Ultapani forest area in Assam's Kokrajhar district, a senior police official said on Monday.
The weapons belonged to a group of surrendered militants who were trying to form a new militant outfit, Special DGP LR Bishnoi told a press conference here.
Acting on a tip-off, searches were conducted in Silikaguri and Ultapani areas.
Two police parties carried out the search operations which ended early on Monday morning. Our team recovered seven weapons and several rounds of ammunition from Ultapani forest area, he said.
Four AK-47 rifles, an M16 rifle, one sniper rifle, one Shirley rifle and 130 rounds of ammunition were found hidden there.
Bishnoi said the weapons belonged to a group of surrendered militants who had recently fled from their designated camps and were trying to float a new outfit.
Some cadres had fled from Kokrajhar and Udalguri camps in March and had gone to Arunachal Pradesh . They were yet to give any name to their group but had tried to start recruitment, he said.
In stepped-up police action against these cadres who had fled, three were killed, two others injured and eight arrested while the rest had surrendered, Bishnoi said.
Based on information extracted from these ex-militants, the operations were conducted, leading to the recovery of the weapons, he added.
The senior police official said these cadres were members of breakaway factions of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (Songbijit faction).
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma congratulated the police on the successful recovery of the weapons.
"Huge catch by @assampolice In a major operation, @KokrajharPolice has recovered one M16, one Sniper Rifle, one Shirley Rifle, four AK47 and 130 rounds of ammunition from Ultapani forest area in Kokrajhar. Well done! Keep it up!, Sarma Tweeted.
