GUWAHATI, Nov 13 - The ULFA�s �deputy commander-in-chief� Drishti Rajkhowa alias Manoj Rabha, who surrendered on Wednesday, told interrogators that Bangladesh Army had launched an offensive against his group.
�After they escaped the operation by Meghalaya Police on October 28, Drishti�s group fled to Bangladesh. But on November 7, Bangladesh Army launched an operation against them in the border areas,� sources said, quoting the rebel as saying during interrogation.
�His group was sandwiched between the pressure from Meghalaya Police on one side and Bangladesh forces on the other, forcing them to give up. One of the members was injured in the Bangladesh Army offensive,� they added.
Drishti was being hunted by security forces for over two decades and he used to shuttle between Meghalaya and Bangladesh in coordination with rebel groups in Meghalaya.
According to Drishti, no trained cadre now remains to operate in lower Assam after he and four of his group members � Rupjyoti Rabha (24) of Goalpara, Mithun Asom (25) of Sherpur in Bangladesh, Rahul Hazarika (26) of Moran and Yasin Ali (28) of Lakhipur � surrendered. They were interrogated by the Indian Army at the headquarters of the Red Horns Division at Rangiya since Thursday.
Drishti, now 50 years of age, and his group was handed over to Assam Police on Friday.
Meanwhile, in an email to the media, ULFA �commander-in-chief� Paresh Baruah on Friday said Michael Asom has been appointed as the �deputy commander-in-chief� of the outfit in place of Drishti Rajkhowa.
