Guwahati, April 9: The cache of arms and ammunition seized on the Bhutan border yesterday has set police on the trail of the elusive commander of Ulfa’s 709 battalion, Hira Sarania, who, sleuths believe, ordered the consignment to be distributed among the cadre at Nalbari.

One more fact has led credence to the police’s belief. Bikash Rabha — who was tailing the auto from a safe distance — is a known Sarania aide. He, along with his pillion rider, turned and fled as soon as they saw the policemen intercepting the grenade-packed auto.

Security forces have launched a major operation in the foothills of Bhutan to flush out militants who have regrouped in these areas.

The deputy inspector-general of police (central and western range) G.P. Singh said Sarania is holed up somewhere in Darranga Mela.

Singh said Rabha and one of his associates were escorting the arsenal on a motorcycle and keeping a safe distance of about half-a-km from the auto-rickshaw. “The militants fled when they saw police stopping the vehicle during a routine check near the Bhutan bus-stop in Rangia,” he said. The two persons — Monoj Gorh and Mouza Ali — arrested along with the consignment yesterday, were just couriers. The consignment was packed into the auto-rickshaw at Darranga Mela.

Monoj is a resident of Samdrup Jongkhar in Bhutan. Another police official at Rangia said the description provided by the arrested persons (of the person who asked them to carry the arsenal) matches with that of Sarania.

The official said Bikash Rabha is very close to Sarania and has been the Ulfa leader’s bodyguard for several years now. “Though we rushed to Darranga Mela yesterday with the arrested duo, it was already too late. Hira had been tipped off and fled his hideout,” the official said, adding that Bikash may have directly come to Hira and told him about the arrests.

Home department sources said Bhutan has been informed about Monoj’s arrest. “There is a possibility that Sarania had crossed over the porous border to Samdrup Jongkhar,” a source said.

Sources in the central intelligence agencies said Ulfa has set a target to carry out subversive activities within the middle of the Assamese month of bohag (April 28) and sent out the grenades for that purpose.

“It was a change of strategy by the outfit. After a quiet raising day on April 7, Ulfa has been planning a series of strikes during the monthlong Bihu celebrations,” a source said.

Already, several IEDs have been sent from the Bhutan foothills to various parts of Lower Assam. The police yesterday admitted to have missed an IED consignment at Rangia by a whisker.