Jalpaiguri, Nov. 12: Two Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) militants were arrested this morning when the district police raided Maulani area of Mainaguri.

Acting on a tip-off that a group of four-five rebels would try to escape into Bhutan through the Dooars belt, Jalpaiguri police raided certain areas of Mainaguri, Dhupguri, Banarhat, Birpara and adjoining areas. Though the police did not find any arms or ammunition, Kamaleshwar and Biddheswar had some documents with them when they were picked up.

Police have traced the duo’s involvement in the murders of businessman Chandan Chaki (last year) and Dilip Roy, a local DYFI leader (in 2000). They were also involved in the abduction of Pratik Banerjee, a petrol pump owner from Tekatuli, besides a number of other cases of extortion and murder.

Jalpaiguri superintendent of police Siddh Nath Gupta said: “We acted on a tip-off. Both of them were trained in the fourth batch of the KLO camps in Bhutan. Raids are on in some areas.”

With the KLO militants changing their routes and shifting westwards from the Kumargramduar belt after numerous encounters and increase in the police vigil, the police and the intelligence officials have come to know that they are trying to find new routes in the Dooars belt to enter Indian territory and escape to Bhutan. The rebels are also indulging in criminal activities like extortion, murder and kidnapping.

The police are checking out the documents seized from the duo to get new inputs.