Guwahati, May 30: Ulfa commander-in-chief Paresh Barua seems to be living the charmed life of a cat with nine lives: he reportedly survived the fifth attempt on his life by unidentified gunmen in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Like on the previous four occasions, this time, too, there has been no official confirmation from the Bangladeshi authorities on the incident. Even the Bangladeshi media has come out with reports denying the news of the latest ?attack? as ?baseless?.
The mass-circulated English daily Independent quoted the new commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Md. Ashraful Huda as saying that the reports were ?propaganda against Bangladesh?.
Though the assailants in all the five incidents have not been identified, it has always been alleged that the attacks were masterminded by the Indian intelligence machinery to eliminate one of the most wanted militant leaders of the Northeast.
But the question is, why would the Indian intelligence be interested in eliminating only Barua and not the other militant leaders who have proved to be equally troublesome for Delhi?
Even inspector-general (law and order) Siba Prasad Kakoti said police have no information about Tuesday?s incident.
A source in the home department said Dispur had taken up the report of the latest incident with the Research and Analysis Wing. ?However, RAW officials have said that they, too, have no information,? the source said.
Ulfa militants killed: Two Ulfa militants were killed in an encounter with the police at Kotpoha village in Nalbari district today.
The two have been identified as Bhupen Kalita and Ramen Sarma. The incident occurred when a police team raided an Ulfa hideout in the village at noon. After opening fire on the police, the duo tried to escape. However, the police fired back and Kalita died on the spot. Sarma died of his injuries at Nalbari civil hospital. Police recovered arms and documents.