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Rajkhowa in court: I have not surrendered

NDTV Correspondent, Saturday December 5, 2009,

It was a rare public glimpse of ULFA chairman and co-founder, Arabinda Rajkhowa, wanted for murder, kidnapping and extortion. Rajkhowa was finally produced in court after he refused to budge from his demand of sovereignty. “Talks cannot happen with handcuffs on,” said Rajkhowa.

No split in ULFA, says Commander-in-Chief

NDTV Correspondent, Saturday December 5, 2009,

ULFA Commander-in-Chief Paresh Baruah has denied rift in the insurgent group in an email to media in Guwahati. Baruah also said that reports of surrender of Arabinda Rajkhowa, the group's chairman, are a divide and rule tactic. Arabinda Rajkhowa, the Chairman of ULFA, has been in Indian custody since Wednesday. Raju Barua, ULFA's Deputy Commander-in -Chief, was also handed over to India at the Dawki outpost in Meghalaya on Friday. Whether Rajkhowa, one of India's most-wanted militants, surrendered or was arrested, is still unclear. While most senior leaders of ULFA have now either surrendered or been arrested, Paresh Baruah, remains missing. He's believed to be in Myanmar. In recent phone calls to his cadres in Assam, Baruah ordered violence and bomb blasts to derail any peace talks.

Assam peace process in trouble

NDTV Correspondent, Friday December 4, 2009,

For 48 hours, there was a glimmer of a peace process for Assam. On Friday, a new hurdle emerged in the shape of an old demand: independence. That hardline comes from Arabinda Rajkhowa, Chairman of ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) who was detained on Wednesday, and whose expected cooperation was key to the nascent peace process.

Another senior ULFA man with India, negotiations begin

Nitin Gokhale, Friday December 4, 2009,

Assam continues to edge its way towards a peace process. Another senior leader of ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) is now in Indian custody. Raju Barua, ULFA's Deputy Commander-in -Chief, was handed over to India at the Dawki outpost in Meghalaya. Also handed over to India on Friday, the wife and children of Arabinda Rajkhowa, the Chairman of ULFA, who was handed over to India by Bangladesh on Wednesday. Whether Rajkhowa, one of India's most-wanted militants, surrendered or was arrested is still unclear. His wife and children have also been given to India on Friday. Sources say Rajkhowa is talking extensively to intelligence officials about how negotiations will pan out. Rajkhowa will not be charged with heinous crimes. Along with his associates, he will be given "safe passage."

Assam ready for peace process, ULFA leader offered safe passage

NDTV Correspondent, Thursday December 3, 2009, Assam

Arabinda Rajkhowa, chairman and founder of the ULFA, is now in the custody of the Indian government. He was flown to Delhi after he was handed over to India at the Tripura border on Wednesday by the Bangladesh government. Rajkhowa has denied reports that he was arrested. Speaking to NE TV soon after news of his detention in Bangladesh, the ULFA chairman said, ”People who are claiming that he was arrested are trying to derail the peace process in Assam even before it can begin. Such people do not want the peace process to succeed.”

ULFA chairman handed over to Delhi

Press Trust of India, Wednesday December 2, 2009, Agartala

ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa was on Wednesday pushed back by the Bangladesh authorities to India and he was flown to New Delhi, intelligence sources said. Rajkhowa surrendered to the security forces in Dhaka on Monday and, in the absence of any extradition treaty between the two neighbouring countries, was pushed back, the sources said.

ULFA chief surrenders in Bangladesh

Kishalay Bhattacharjee, Wednesday December 2, 2009, Guwahati

The report of ULFA chairman Rajiv Rajkonwar alias Arabindo Rajkhowa 's arrest in Bangladesh and his possible handing over to Indian authorities signals the beginning of a process of dialogue.

Terrorists behind Bangalore blasts arrested

NDTV Correspondent, Wednesday December 2, 2009,

Two terrorists from the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) have been arrested at the Meghalya border by the Border Security Force. Naseer and Shafaq are believed to behind last year's serial blasts in Bangalore, where nine bombs exploded across the city, and one person was killed. The Bangalore blasts were followed by serial blasts in Ahemdabad. The LeT arrests were revealed at a joint presser today by the Home Secretaries of Bangladesh and India. Earlier on Wednesday, Arabinda Rajkhowa, the chairman of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) , was arrested in Dhaka, as part of Bangladesh's crackdown on Indian insurgent groups operating within its borders.

The secret to ULFA's sustenance

NDTV Correspondent, Sunday November 29, 2009, Nalbari, Assam

As militant outfit ULFA observes its annual Protest Day, NDTV travelled to villages of Nalbari in Lower Assam to find out how the outfit has been able to bounce back each time it suffered severe losses. One such village is Bahjani. The road to Bahjani, till a few years ago, was a road less travelled. This is ULFA territory, home to the outfit's deputy commander Hitesh Kalita alias Raju Baruah.

ULFA: Moving to safe haven in China?

NDTV Correspondent, Sunday November 22, 2009, Guwahati

Is the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) shifting base to China? Hours after six people were killed in two powerful blasts near Guwahati on Sunday, Tarun Gogoi, Chief Minister of strife-torn Assam, told NDTV that the terrorist outfit is trying to shift base beyond the border. “I don’t know whether ULFA has support from Chinese authorities, but they are undoubtedly trying to shift their base to China,” Gogoi said.

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