A woman sifts through the remains of her house blown up by a grenade during the encounter. Picture by Eastern Projections

Changsari, Aug. 29: Barely 9km from where FCI’s executive director (Northeast) P.C. Ram died along with his Ulfa captors at Paschim Borka village a month ago, police today claimed to have killed an aide of Ulfa leader Hira Sarania, prime accused in the abduction of the official.

Champak Sarma alias Ranjan, commander of Ulfa’s 709 battalion, died in an encounter at Boragog village, 10km from Changsari in Kamrup district, but not before putting up a tough fight.

A police commando was hit in the hourlong gunbattle that began around 10 last night.

Two hours before the gunfight began, two men knocked on the doors of villager Rupeshwar Deka’s house and told him that they were staying the night. “They said they were Ulfa militants and demanded shelter.” Deka said he had no choice but to agree. But police believe that Deka, a carpenter, had given shelter to Ulfa members on earlier occasions too. The police’s belief was reinforced by the flight of Deka’s brother-in-law Baikuntha last night.

Baikuntha, who works as a labourer at Changsari railway station, was last spotted ferrying a bag, probably containing arms and ammunition, last evening. The sub-divisional police officer of Rangia sub-division, A.P. Tiwari, said the police had specific information about militants taking shelter in that particular house and readied for a raid.

In fact, after the encounter, the police took Sarma to be Sarania himself as they had information that he might be in the area. Changsari is a known Ulfa stronghold where senior leaders of the outfit take advantage of the numerous alleys that connect the national highway to sneak into the area and take shelter in safe houses.

Deka’s residence resembled a war zone this morning with smoke billowing from the embers of a charred cattle-shed and the kitchen. A goat, tethered to a pole in the cowshed, was charred to death and two bulls received burn injuries from grenade explosions.

“The militants fired at the police party and lobbed two grenades which blew up the cowshed and the kitchen. Both the shed and the kitchen caught fire after the policemen fired back. One militant died while another escaped under cover of darkness,” Tiwari said. He said the slain militant was an aide of Hira Sarania and well trained in combat. The police found an AK-56 rifle and two grenades tied to the dead militant’s vest.

Deka, his wife, their two children and sister-in-law had fled to the safety to their neighbour’s house as soon as the gunfight broke out. The family, with the exception of the children, has been arrested for harbouring militants.