Ulfa (I) 'executes' two cadres for allegedly spying for Assam Police, security agencies

Ulfa (Independent), a banned militant group in Assam on Saturday issued a statement declaring that they "executed" two of their new cadres after they were allegedly found to be spying for Assam police and other security agencies

In a statement emailed to media, A. Z. Sironam Asom, the chief of the outfit's "lower judicial council" said Dhanjit Das of Barpeta district and Sanjib Sarma of Baihata Chariali in Kamrup district were given "death sentence" after they were "found to be guilty by the lower judicial council" on May 4 and 5 respectively. They were executed on Saturday morning, said the statement.

"Since the crime committed by both cadres are unpardonable, as per the decision of the lower judicial council they were given undesired death today on May 7,” said the statement.

In the statement, the banned group claimed that Dhanjit had joined the outfit recently but fled on April 24 from its "mobile camp" during a "special operation" but was caught the next day. The outfit claimed that Das tried to convince other cadres to surrender before security forces and even leaked information to security agencies about the outfit's activities.

The Ulfa (I) statement alleged that Sanjib had admitted that he was "planted" by Assam police to get into the communication systems of the rebel group and pass on the information back to them. The outfit released a video of Sarma recently in which he purportedly claimed that his elder brother, Apurba Kumar Sarma, a para-commando in the army, was killed in an attack in Manipur a few months ago. He further claimed that Assam police officer, Partha Sarathi Mahanta had asked him to join the outfit to avenge his brother's death and to extract information about the outfit. Mahanta, however, denied the outfit's claim.

The statement issued by Ulfa (I) on Saturday claimed that Sarma was planning to kill the outfit's other members or leaders after getting arms training in their camps.

The killing of the two comes at a time Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has repeatedly appealed to Ulfa (I) chief Paresh Baruah to join talks and stated that efforts was underway to bring the outfit to the negotiating table. Sarma, however, said recent joining of some youths in Ulfa (I) was a worry.

Sarma earlier said Ulfa (I) was now the only "stumbling block" in establishing permanent peace in Assam as most "tribal insurgent groups" had laid down their weapons and signed accords.

Ulfa was formed in 1979 with a demand for "sovereign Assam" and Ulfa (I) led by Paresh Baruah is still bent on the demand. Another faction of Ulfa led by Arabindo Rajkhowa, however, is engaged in talks with the government.