Seven ULFA(I) militants surrender in Assam

Tinsukia (Assam), March 19 (PTI): Seven hardcore ULFA(I) militants surrendered in Tinsukia district following a joint operation by a team of Assam Police and the Indian Army, a senior official said on Tuesday. The militants joined the mainstream on Monday, while a huge cache of arms and ammunition were also recovered from them during the operation, Col S Karki, Commanding Officer of 21 Para Special Forces of the Army, told reporters here. "The surrender was possible because of our operation on March 7 that was based on specific intelligence," he said. Karki, however, declined to share the location of the exercise and said that 15-20 columns were engaged. "We got information that the ULFA cadres were hiding at a place. We persuaded them and recovered the arms. Ultimately, they surrendered," the Army official said. Karki said the security personnel recovered three AK-81 rifles, two HK-33 rifles and one AK-56 rifle and 17 magazines. Besides, 617 rounds of ammunition and one hand grenade were also seized from the militants, he added.