Another publicity office busted; top ULFA leader held

GUWAHATI, August 18: The Guwahati city police today busted the external affairs office-cum-international publicity wing of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) at Burnihat following the arrest of the second-in-command of the cultural department of the outfit, Khirode Bora alias Bijoy Phukan. The office also operated as the principal control room of the political wing of the ULFA, police sources said. They said the police nabbed Bijoy Phukan last evening and following his interrogation, the ULFA office was busted in the wee hours today. Phukan, who hails from Karbi Anglong, is a senior member of the ULFA who used to look after the cultural wing of the ULFA in the absence of the cultural secretary Pranati Phukan. He was also wanted in connection with several cases in different parts of the state, particularly in Nagaon district. The documents seized included a list of intellectuals and artists who are sympathetic to the ULFA, records of the ULFA's relations with other militant outfits and organisations based in different parts of the country and records of the policy decisions taken by the ULFA in recent years. One high-power VHF set, a computer with a laser printer, floppies, audio and video cassettes, one colour TV set, one VCR, one telephone, one cordless phone, photographs, service book of the ULFA cadres, etc were also recovered. A few months back, the city police had busted the publicity office of the ULFA located in the city and nabbed the assistant publicity secretary of the outfit, Animesh Kakati.