Dibrugarh/Guwahati, Nov. 19: One of Ulfa’s most-wanted leaders was arrested last night from a relative’s house in a Sivasagar village while trying to snatch a few moments with his wife and infant son.

The arrest of “sergeant major” Ram Sing, the second-in-command of 28 battalion’s B company, is being touted as the biggest success that the security forces have pulled off since the ceasefire of the battalion’s A and C companies in June.

Sing, alias Mintu Borgohain, joined the outfit in 1987 and has been responsible for collection of funds in Sivasagar since 2005.

A joint team of the Moran-based 318 Field Regiment and police began raiding Bakhar Bengana village under Bokota Nemuguri police station late last night following specific information about the militant’s presence.

The 45-year-old Ulfa leader had come down from the outfit’s camp in Nagaland to see his month-and-a-half old baby, whom he had not had the chance to hold since his birth.

The security forces let his wife, Junti, and the baby go before searching the Ulfa leader for arms.

An M-20 pistol, 10 live rounds, a pistol magazine, three mobile phones and some incriminating documents were found on him.

Though Sing said his wife has no links with Ulfa, security forces also found a marriage certificate issued by the outfit’s leadership.

“Sing has direct links with the top leaders of the outfit,” Sivasagar superintendent of police, Shyamal Saikia, said.

The arrested militant told reporters in Moran today that the B (Bravo) company had extended moral support to the “ceasefire group” right from the beginning, but had opted out at the last moment since the leadership was against the unilateral truce.

“After the ceasefire was declared by the A (Alpha) and C (Charlie) companies, our leadership dismantled the 28 battalion. Now only the Bravo company cadres of this battalion are operating, with its headquarters in Myanmar and an advanced headquarters at Mon in Nagaland,” Sing said.

Jiten Dutta, a leader of the pro-peace group, however, played down the “arrest”.

“Ram Sing had no option but to come overground since he was ill and was desperate to meet his wife and son. He was in touch with the army for over a month now,” he said.

Sing, too, revealed that he and Mrinal Hazarika, a senior leader of the pro-peace group, had met the GOC of 2 Mountain Division, Maj. Gen. Jatinder Singh, in April at the army base in Dinjan in Tinsukia.

“The army had assured us of safe passage and we came to the Dinjan to discuss the ceasefire,” he said.

Hazarika was in jail at that time.

Defence public relations officer Col. Rajesh Kalia could not confirm the meeting since the GOC is out of station.

Dutta said it was a matter of time now before the leadership of the B company, too, followed its brethren.

“The commander of the company, Sujit Mohan, will come overground very soon,” he said.