Assam militant leader Ranjan Daimary released from jail for peace agreement talks

Chief of militant group National Democratic Front of Bodoland (R), who was serving life imprisonment in 2008 serial bomb blasts case, was on Saturday released from jail for a month and flown to New Delhi to take part in the ongoing peace talks.

The rebel leader, Ranjan Daimary was granted interim bail for four weeks by a division bench of Gauhati high court on Friday, to allow him to take part in the talks process. The government also did not oppose Daimari's bail plea.

"Daimari was released from Guwahati central jail after furnishing bail bond of Rs. 50,000 and hours after he was taken to New Delhi. The court asked the government to provide security. He was granted bail to facilitate the talks process," Daimari's lawyer, Manas Sarania told reporters here.

Daimari and nine others were sentenced life terms on January 30 last year by a special CBI court here for their role in the serial bomb blasts in Guwahati and a few other places on October 30, 2018. A total of 84 people had died and 540 were injured in the deadly attack.

The Centre and Assam government is likely to sign a "comprehensive agreement" with all four factions of the NDFB to establish lasting peace in Assam, particularly in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD). The region witnessed largescale violence in the past.

Leaders of other factions of the NDFB are already stationed in New Delhi for the peace talks. B. Saoraigwra, president of NDFB (S), another faction, which was held responsible for December 2014 massacre of 84 Adivasis had come from their Myanmar camp and is also camping in New Delhi for the talks. Saoraigwra signed a ceasefire agreement with the government on January 16.

The government had earlier similarly released Ulfa leaders from jail for taking part in talks.