The seizure of a large number of high-explosive grenades along with detonators close to India-Bhutan border in Assam's Kamrup district on Tuesday has lent credibility to intelligence inputs that the banned United Liberation Front of Asom is once again trying to set up base in neighbouring Bhutan from where it was evicted in December 2003 by the Royal Bhutan Army.
Police on Tuesday recovered 30 grenades along with equal number of explosives laden in an auto rickshaw that was coming from Daranga Mela on the India-Bhutan border in Baksa district of Assam to Ghograpar in Nalbari district where some ULFA militants were awaiting the consignment.
Police, which intercepted the auto rickshaw midway near Bhutan bus stop at Rangiya in Kamrup district, arrested two suspected ULFA militants who were trailing the consignment of explosives on a motor-cycle.
One of the youths, Monoj Gorh is from Sandrup Jongkhar in Bhutan while the other, Mouza Ali is from Daranga Mela in Baksa district.
The police haven't ruled out the possibility of the banned ULFA sourcing the huge consignment of grenades in Bhutan and are investigating into this aspect.
The ULFA used to have its general headquarter and main camp at Deothang area in Bhutan till December 2003.
The Daranga Mela, a trade point on the India-Bhutan border, has become a hot bed of ULFA activities of late given that one of the most wanted ULFA commander Hira Sarania who heads the outfit's 709 battalion, is now located somewhere in the foothills of Bhutan Himalayas to dodge security forces and police that are hot on his trail.
The Sashatra Seema Bol that is entrusted with the responsibility of manning the India-Bhutan border claims to have mounted vigil along the border, characterised by the presence of thick forest areas to prevent cross border movement of ULFA militants.
The SSB operations are monitored by the inspector general's office in Guwahati.
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