Bogamati (Indo-Bhutan
border), December 25
As the crackdown on north-east insurgents operating from Bhutan entered the 11th day today, the fleeing ultras sneaking into Indian territory, were desperate to surrender before the authorities.
Sources here said that ULFA and NDFB ultras in small groups were slipping into the border areas in Assam and hiding in bazars and villages sending feelers to the authorities for surrender.
The sources from Bhutan told a visiting PTI journalist that the Royal Bhutan Army had fanned out in the dense Bhutan jungles on the eastern and western flanks of its southern territory to track down the guerrillas who had fled after their camps were destroyed.
The areas surrounding the destroyed ULFA, NDFB and KLO camps were being cordoned off to seek out the hiding militants in the inhospitable rugged terrain of the kingdom, the sources said.
The sources said that some ultras were engaged in an exchange of fire with the army last night in Nalbari district's Tamulpur area in their bid to slip into India. Five ULFA men were killed in the incident.
The militants are also trying to contact village headmen, army or civil officials in their efforts to surrender.
The army and police were conducting massive search operations in the markets and houses in the villages where the militants might have taken shelter, the sources said.
Shopkeepers here said that the army had issued them instructions not to sell more than 2 kg of each essential item and woollen blankets per person apprehending they could be sent to the rebels hiding in the Bhutan jungles.
Meanwhile, the 37 women among the 64 ULFA family members, including 27 children, handed over yesterday to the Indian authorities by the Bhutan Government, were ULFA cadres, the Governor, Lt-Gen Ajai Singh (retd) told reporters here today.
— PTI
