TEZPUR, June 22 – The banned ULFA and NDFB which suffered a major setback after Operation Flush-out launched by the Royal Government of Bhutan in the tiny Himalayan Kingdom in December last year have started recruiting new cadres for the outfits and also started serving extortion notes on the business communities of northern Assam despite the heavy presence of security forces.
Highly-placed official sources told this correspondent that both the outfits have served extortion notice to the business community living at Rangapara, Dhekiajuli, Chariduar, Sengalimari in Sonitpur district and to the business communities of Rowta, Orang, Tangla, Mazbat, Kharupetia in Darrang district sending chills down the spines of the common people.
The demand notice ranges from Rs 50,000 to several lakhs, the sources said adding that some of the tea gardens of the district too have been served with demand notes. However, no one dares to lodge a formal complaint with the police about the matters, the official said. Security measures have been intensified at Rangapara and Dhekiajuli area. Even the officials of 5 Assam Rifles recently shot at one of the unidentified NDFB militants after they came to collect extortion amount from Bogijuli area under Chariduar police outpost in the district recently. The militants however managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
Army personnel involved in counter-insurgency operations here though admitting receiving some reports in this regard have ruled out serving of extortion notes on a large-scale.