Kokrajhar, Jan 7: Top-rung leaders of NDFB (Songbijit), including "army chief" G. Bidai and his deputy K. Batha, are hiding in the dense jungles along the Indo-Bhutan border, BTAD inspector-general of police L.R. Bishnoi said here today.
Bishnoi said operations as a part of the army's "final push" against the militant group were on. An army release said an NDFB (S) rebel Nimal Basumatary alias Nihwr, 34, was today arrested from Rangijhori under Amguri police station in Chirang district under the Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD) in lower Assam.
Sources said a joint team of Assam police, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the army carried out a search operation in the area based on specific information and arrested the militant, a Myanmar-trained cadre of the group's 39th batch. A 9mm pistol, three rounds of ammunition, Rs 70 in Nepal currency and a double-SIM mobile was recovered from him.
Bishnoi claimed that the National Democratic Front of Boroland (Songbijit) was becoming weak with many of its top leaders having been killed or arrested since the operation against the outfit was intensified last year.
A joint force of the army, police, SSB and CRPF had started a massive operation against the outfit on September 18 last year to apprehend the "last remaining 20-25 cadres of the NDFB (S)", including Bishnu Goyari alias Bidai, the mastermind of the Adivasi carnage on December 23, 2014, and his deputy Binod Mushahary alias Batha. Bidai carries a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head.
Altogether 21 militants of the outfit have been killed, 256 arrested and 185 of its linkmen apprehended since the operation began.
A total of 15 AK-56 rifles, 10 AK-47s, two M-16, two HKs, seven Insas rifles, 495 rounds of ammunition, 21 grenades, 81kg of explosives 14 lakh in cash and 12 motorcycles have also been recovered from the outfit's militants, Bishnoi said.
The top leaders of the outfit arrested so far include its self-styled deputy commander in chief Dwiswrang Daimary alias Dhananjay, self-styled army chief Rabi Basumutary alias Rongja Baja, his PSO Jwnglaw Narzary alias Jekhai and the former personal security officer of Bidai, Biron Narzary alias N. Bapeibai.
Bishnoi said the security forces were continuing their operation against the group and expressed confidence that Bidai and his 20-25 associates would be arrested soon.
Kokrajhar superintendent of police S.P. Saikia said there was crisis of food in the rebel camp as the security forces had stopped their ration supply by blocking all routes.
Bishnoi said other than NDFB (S) militants, 86 militants belonging to various groups like the Kamatapur Liberation Organisation, Rabha Viper Army, National Santhal Liberation Army and the Muslim Protection Tiger Force of Assam were also arrested by security forces last year.
Besides, fundamentalists trying to gain a foothold in lower Assam districts had been neutralised, he said, adding that 30 fundamentalists were arrested and 22 country-made arms recovered in 2015.
