Eight ULFA rebels surrender in Assam

Eight rebels of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) have surrendered to the troops at Tamulpur in Assams Baksa District.

Tamulpur (Assam), Nov 20 : Eight rebels of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) have surrendered to the troops at Tamulpur in Assam's Baksa District.

"ULFA actually survives on the support that they have at the grassroots level. The cadres who are there at the grassroots level are now willing to put down their arms, come back to the mainstream. It is definitely going to affect the way the ULFA is going to function," said Brigadier John George of the Red Horn Division of the Indian Army.

Welcoming the militants on their journey back into the mainstream, Brigadier John added, "And, it is about time that the ULFA cadres get back to the mainstream because the kind of the lives that they are leading outside."

"I was unemployed initially, had no work and was learning the ideology of the organisation I had joined. But after getting inside, what I saw inside was not according to what I thought. So, I decided to come back," said Akshay Kalita, a surrendered rebel.

Last month, over 100 ULFA rebels surrendered in Guwahati, Baksa and Tinsukia Districts of Assam.

The ULFA says it is fighting for Assam's independence, which is rich in oil, natural gas and tea. It accuses Centre of taking away its mineral and forest resources while neglecting the local population.

Assam is one of seven states in northeast, a region racked by a number of insurgencies. More than 15,000 people have been killed since ULFA launched the revolt in 1979 in Assam.

ANI