In a prize catch, police arrested a top United Liberation Front of Asom militant along with her associate in Meghalaya after she arrived from Bangladesh for availing medical treatment for her malaria afflicted son.
ULFA cultural secretary Pranati Deka, who had jumped bail in 1998, and her associate were arrested on Friday, while they were travelling in a bus, at Phulbari in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district, Assam Inspector General of Police (Special Branch) Khagen Sarma told reporters in Guwahati on Saturday.
He said Deka, arrested in a joint operation by the Assam and Meghalaya police, had come from Bangladesh a week ago and police had been on her trail since then.
Deka had entered the country by crossing the Brahmaputra River in a boat and was travelling to Mankachar in Dhubri district (in Assam) when she was nabbed along with her accomplice.
Deka's husband and ULFA finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika is believed to be staying in Bangladesh.
Deka, masquerading as a Bangladeshi labourer, planned to return to Bangladesh after the treatment of her six-year-old son, Sarma said.
Police recovered Rs 41,000 and some medicines from Deka, now in the custody of Goalpara police.
This is the second time Deka has been arrested, the first time being in 1997.
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