GUWAHATI, Oct 2 � The State Government is planning to facilitate release of the jailed leaders of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in a phased manner by not opposing their bail petitions to pave the way for talks. Meanwhile, the decks have been cleared for the return of ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia from Bangladesh and India may try to bring him once the process of talks starts.
Highly placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that though the ULFA leaders, who are in judicial custody, cannot be released by the government directly, their release can be facilitated if the Government does not reject their bail petitions. The Government already facilitated the release of ULFA vice chairman Pradeep Gogoi and central publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary and in the same manner, the other jailed central committee members of the outfit can be released.
According to information available, in the first phase, the deputy commander in chief of the ULFA, Raju Baruah, adviser Bhimkanta Buragohain alias Mama and cultural secretary Pranati Deka may be released on bail and the other senior leaders can be released in a phased manner depending on the progress made in the efforts to start the process of talk with the militant outfit.
The jailed leaders of the ULFA, who are in favour of talks with the Government, are also reportedly in touch with some other members of the outfit in an attempt to persuade them to come back to join the peace process. The jailed leaders further informed the government that once they are out of jail, they would be able to persuade more members of the outfit to join the peace process. It may be mentioned here that the central publicity secretary of the ULFA, Mithinga Daimary recently commented that once the ULFA central committee takes a decision on the peace process, majority of the members of the outfit would abide by the decision.
Meanwhile, it is now clear that more than 30 members of the ULFA, who came back to Assam from Bangladesh recently, were compelled to do so because of the pressure mounted on them by the security forces of the neighbouring country.
Security sources as well as sources close to the ULFA leaders revealed that the Rapid Action Battalion of Bangladesh launched a massive crackdown on the militants in recent times and even took action against those who provided shelter to the militants. On September 12, the personnel of the Rapid Action Battalion picked up one ULFA member Tinku Sonowal and roughed him up during questioning. The ULFA members, who were under pressure following the arrests of senior leaders including their chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa came under tremendous pressure following the crackdown launched by the Rapid Action Battalion and decided to return to the State as their security was at stake.
The ULFA men along with their family members came to Assam in two batches�28 in the first batch and three in the second batch. They were received at the international border in Tura sector by a team of police officers and a ULFA leader on bail and brought to Assam. However, they were not kept in police custody and the commander of the 709 battalion of the outfit, Hira Sarania was entrusted with the responsibility of keeping them in safe places.
