Dibrugarh: The United Liberation Front of Assam or the ULFA (I) has been recruiting youths from upper Assam through various social media platforms, a police official said.
Many youths have joined the insurgent group of late after they were brainwashed through various social media platforms.
As per information, the youths have joined the armed group under the supervision of ULFA-I leader Aiseng Axom.
According to reports, several social media platforms have been used by the rebel outfit to lure the youths to join the insurgent group. They start to brainwash them to join the rebel group if they discover that they can be swayed.
Reports have added that ULFA (I) has become active in the Jagun area of the Tinsukia district and has stealthily started its extortion activities.
The ULFA (I) leaders have become conscious of the media and they connect to the media houses more often than not.
Extortion activities have yet again re-surfaced in some pockets of upper Assam and the rebel outfit has targeted the businessmen and is collecting ransom in a very discreet manner.
It is believed that the unemployed youths of upper Assam have been targeted by the ULFA (I) to join their ranks. However, it has been observed that many of the rebels who joined the insurgent group have made a U-turn and returned to the mainstream during the last few years.
The youths who had joined the ULFA (I) and subsequently deserted it to return to the mainstream have no clue as to why they had joined the insurgent group in the first place.
Many over-ground workers have also been engaged by the ULFA (I) to lure the youths to join the outfit.
Meanwhile, the Tinsukia district of upper Assam is considered to be the breeding ground of ULFA (I). The district shares boundaries with Arunachal Pradesh as a result of which it becomes very easy for the insurgent group to sneak into the upper Assam districts from Myanmar.
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