Another ULFA leader held

Rapid Action Battalion arrested a leader of the Indian separatist group, United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), Ranjan Chowdhury and an associate from Kishoreganj's Bhairab Upazila in the early hours of Saturday.

The ULFA leader, Ranjan Chowdhury alias Major Ranjan, has been staying in Bangladesh since 1997 and has been maintaining contact with the group.

Ranjan and his assistant Prodip Marak were arrested from Lakkhmipur area of the Upazila around 4.30am.

The RAB recovered a foreign-made pistol, a revolver, four rounds of ammunitions and four hand grenades in their possession.

Ranjan Chowdhury is referred to as major Ranjan as he specialises in military training and has been working for ULFA since 1990, commander Mohammad Sohael Ahmed, RAB legal and media wing's director, said in a press conference at their headquarters on Saturday noon.

"Ranjan received special training to use firearms and grenades. He escaped to Bangladesh in 1995 after serving a year in prison at India. However, he maintained constant contact with ULFA leaders in Bhutan and Nepal including its military wing chief Paresh Barua."

Ranjan hails from Dhubrir Gouripur's Madhu Shoulmari area of Assam.

He lived at Gazni in Jhenaigati Upazila in Sherpur in Bangladesh and married a Bangladeshi woman Sabitri Dum in 2001.

Last December, Indian authorities arrested ULFA chief Arabinda Rajkhowa along with a number of members of the separatist group including his personal bodyguard Raja Bora, the deputy commander-in-chief of the ULFA's military wing Raju Barua.

Despite various media reports claiming that the ULFA chief was arrested by Bangladesh and handed over to his home country, authorities in both the countries declined to comment on the matter.

However, it was proved that Rajkhowa has long been staying in Bangladesh under the alias of Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury and even had a Bangladeshi passport citing him to be a citizen by birth.

ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia is currently in a Bangladeshi prison.