SHILLONG, May 2 - ULFA (I) chief Paresh Baruah has probably celebrated his 59th birthday on May 1 �on the run,� as the Home Ministry said today. The ULFA chief is constantly moving to avoid arrest and possible extradition.
Joint Secretary, Home (in-charge NE) Satyendra Garg said here that Paresh Baruah, according to intelligence input, has always been on the run, after he fled Bangladesh some years ago.
�He doesn�t remain in one place now, he keeps on moving,� Garg said. Reports say Baruah is hiding in the jungles of Ruili in south-western Yunnan province of China.
Contrary to media reports, Garg referred China as a �friendly nation� indicating that the ULFA chief would not be given refuge in their territory.
Regarding Bangladesh, he said, the Government there has been extremely cooperative and they have been taking action against NE-based militant groups and their camps whenever inputs are sent.
The Joint Secretary said New Delhi, however, has been raising issues related to mutual security concerns with Dhaka on a periodic basis. �Whatever concerns we have we raised it with our counterpart from time to time and try to resolve it,� Garg said.
He, however, admitted that arms and ammunition were entering into India through its porous borders with neighbouring countries. �The arms and ammunition are coming to the North East from outside. A large tract of the Indo-Myanmar border remains unfenced and porous,� Garg stated.
He added that the presence of security forces along the Indo-Myanmar border has remained minimum. �We are trying to upgrade our presence along the Indo-Myanmar border,� he added.
