Jorhat, Oct. 15: At least 18 Maoist rebels were apprehended in Tinsukia district of Assam alone in the past month, including one arrested yesterday from Sadiya along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. This has triggered speculation among security forces that the Leftist rebel group is trying to fill the void created by Ulfa in Upper Assam .

“What is worrying is that most of these arrested persons are ethnic Assamese youths. A few of them have received training in Jharkhand and Manipur,” a senior police officer in Tinsukia district said. The officer said at least five youths who were arrested had received training in Jharkhand and two were trained by the NSCN (I-M) in Manipur.

Police also caught another Maoist rebel, Dibakar Das, from Sapekathi town in Sivasagar yesterday. The police said Dibakar admitted to having links with the Maoists and he, along with one Aditya Bora, had been carrying out a recruitment drive recently.

Dibakar was arrested on the basis of information provided by two Maoist rebels apprehended from Sonari last month.

Sources in the police headquarters said earlier it was suspected that an Adivasi militant organisation of the state had links with the Maoist rebels but it now appears that Leftist rebel outfit has also managed to lure local youths.