DIPHU: In a major boost to the improvement of security scenario in Assam with members of militant outfits laying down arms and returning to the mainstream, as many as nine militants surrendered on Wednesday in Karbi Anglong District of the state.
The surrendered cadres belonged to the Adivasi People's Liberation Army or APLA.
Among those who laid down their arms include three cadres of senior ranks in the outfit – a Deputy Commander in Chief, an Area Commander and a Major General.
The surrendered APLA cadres have been identified as Jayanta Hao, Dimesh Urang, Sahato Yimchunger, Bimal Topno, Sotu Karmakar, Gopal Baraik, Chowja Shyam, Joseph Barla and Paul Kharia.
It has further been learnt that out of the nine cadres who surrendered, six of them are from Karbi Anglong District. Out of the remaining three, two are from Golaghat district and one from Dimapur in Nagaland.
Notably several sophisticated arms and ammunition have been surrendered by the cadres. These include one Semi-Automatic rifle, one SBBL gun, one rifle, one pistol, one handmade gun, one grenade and some live cartridges.
Police sources have attributed this success to the necessary coordination among the agencies, namely the Assam Police, the Central Agencies, and some outfit members in this case.
In a statement issued by the State Police, it said that it is hopeful of the outfit Adivasi People's Liberation Army dissolving very soon as more of its cadres are returning to the mainstream.
"With this, we hope to see APLA dissolving in the near future," said the statement.
It may be recalled here that cadres from another Adivasi outfit, the All Adivasi National Liberation Army or AANLA have also laid down arms in recent months. In the month of May this year, total of 4 militants from the outfit surrendered with arms and ammunition before Dibrugarh Police in two separate instances.
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