4 Magor officials held for ULFA links

JORHAT, July 19: After Tata Tea, it is now the turn of tea giant Williamson Magor to be in the news with the arrest of four of its officials today by the Jorhat Police following a top executive of the group offering direct help to a member of the banned ULFA. The incident has its roots in the 'Chief Secretary' of the Kakadonga Sakha Parishad, one Ratul Dutta alias Sangram Koch recently falling sick after a bout of malaria at an ULFA camp along the Assam-Nagaland border and having availed treatment on July 13 under Gajen Gogoi, employed by the Williamson Magor group at Mohbandha Tea Estate off Jorhat city. Incidentally, Ratul Dutta, died on July 15 even as he was shifted to the Mission Hospital here for further treatment. All along, the Manager of Mohbandha Tea Estate, Aswini Sarma had reportedly acted as guardian for Dutta, both at the tea garden and at the Mission Hospital. The incident culminated in the Jorhat Police today arresting estate Manager Aswini Sarma, doctor Gajen Gogoi, ministerial staff Haren Saikia and driver Gajen Bhuyan on charges of sheltering an ULFA cadre, besides offering medical assistance. However, the Jorhat SP's comments on the incident could not be gathered despite several phone calls as the former could not be contacted as he was not available. It may be recalled that Ratul's body had been handed over to his family members by cadres of the banned outfit at his Satriya Gaon residence under Pulibor Police Station on July 16. Meanwhile, in another incident on July 17, another ULFA cadre Ujjal Phukan alias Ranjan Borphukan of Karanga Phukanor Chuk surrendered at the Cinnamara police outpost as he was suffering from a protracted kidney ailment.