Bangladesh hands over two top ULFA rebels to India

Guwahati, Nov. 8 (ANI): In an unprecedented move, Bangladesh has deported two top ULFA rebels to through the Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura.

Border Security Force officials said Sashadhar Choudhury, ULFA's Foreign Secretary and Finance Secretary Chitraban Hazarika have been sent to ten days police custody by a Guwahati court.

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"Today he has been produced. Both of them have been produced in connection with.... police station case pertaining to special operation unit. And the police have sought 14 days police remand," said Bijan Mahajan, a counsel for the accused.

Assam Police said that ULFA, estimated to have a depleted strength of around 700-800 combatants, is now left with only three leaders, Chairman Arabina Rajkhowa, Commander-in-Chief Paresh Barua and his deputy Raju Barua.

"We will not surrender in any case," Choudhury said.

In 2006, New Delhi called off a truce with the ULFA when the security forces realised that the rebels used the ceasefire to regroup.

The ULFA accuse New Delhi of plundering the region's mineral and forest resources, neglecting local economy and giving them back nothing in return.

India says that ULFA rebels have found safe havens in Bangladesh over the last two decades.

Bangladesh had earlier denied such allegations. But the Awami League government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has assured New Delhi of its cooperation in evicting Indian separatists from Bangladesh. (ANI)