Guwahati, Dec. 19: Ulfa’s political adviser Bhimkanta Buragohain passed away at 6.15 this evening while penning his autobiography at his house at Ahomgaon under Dhola police station in Assam’s Tinsukia district.

Buragohain suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed while writing. He was 83 and had remained a bachelor.

Ulfa vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi said the passing away of Buragohain (who was popularly known as Mama given his age) was an “irreparable loss”.

Gogoi, Buragohain and general secretary Anup Chetia were the founding members of the outfit. Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and commander-in-chief Paresh Barua had joined the outfit at a later stage.

“His personality, patience, courage and vision were worth emulating,” Gogoi said.

Buragohain was apprehended during Operation All Clear in Bhutan in 2003 and had since been incarcerated in several jails across the state before being released on bail to facilitate Ulfa’s talks with the government.

The Paresh Barua group of Ulfa, condoling Buragohain’s death, also said it was an irreparable loss to the outfit. In a statement e-mailed to the media, the group’s acting chairman Obhijit Bormon and Barua said they were shocked by Mama’s death and had decided to fly Ulfa flag half mast at all its camps.

Pro-talks leaders like Prabal Neog and Jiten Dutta visited Buragohain’s house to pay their respects.