ULFA-I Chief Paresh Baruah
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against Paresh Baruah, the self-styled chief of the banned militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), and five others for conspiring to target army camps in Assam as part of its anti-India agenda. This charge sheet pertains to a 2023 case involving a terror attack on an army camp by the proscribed terrorist organisation.
Key Details of the Case
Attack Description: On November 22, 2023, two motorcycle-borne youth lobbed grenades at an army camp in Kakopathar, Tinsukia district, Assam. Fortunately, no one was injured in the assault, which was part of a broader conspiracy to harm army personnel through a series of grenade attacks across the state.
Accused: The charge sheet names self styled chief of ULFA-I Paresh Baruah, Brigadier Arunudoy Dohutia, 2nd Lt Saurav Asom, Captain Abhijit Gogoi alias Aisheng Asom, and two others, Parag Borah and Bijoy Moran, as key conspirators and executors of the attack.
Parag Borah and Bijoy Moran were arrested in December 2023, while the other accused remain absconding. The ULFA-I is currently based in Myanmar as per the security sources and mainly operates in upper Assam districts closed to Arunachal and Nagaland border.
Investigation Insights
The NIA’s investigation, which took over the case from Assam Police, revealed a deep-rooted conspiracy hatched by ULFA-I’s top leadership from across the Myanmar border. The agency’s statement highlighted the involvement of Paresh Baruah and Arunudoy Dohutia in masterminding the conspiracy. They had deputed cadres like Saurav Asom to execute multiple terrorist attacks on army camps in Assam.
Abhijeet Gogoi coordinated the entire planning, preparation, and execution of the attack, collaborating with overground worker Bijoy Moran to recruit local youth for the terrorist activities. The investigation also uncovered that ULFA-I had been using social media platforms for recruiting vulnerable youth and training them for terror activities, furthering its extremist and separatist ideology.
Legal Proceedings
The charge sheet, filed under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Explosives Substances Act, exposes the terror network’s recruitment, training camps, and execution of terrorist attacks as part of ULFA-I’s anti-India agenda. The NIA continues to investigate to identify other conspirators and associates involved in the attack, aiming to dismantle the entire terror network.
The filing of this charge sheet marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and ensure the safety and security of army personnel and civilians in Assam. The NIA’s thorough investigation and legal action against ULFA-I’s leadership underscore the agency’s commitment to thwarting extremist activities and maintaining national security. It should be mentioned that the pro-talk fraction of the ULFA consisting of most of its founder leaders signed a terpritat peace agreement with Assam and central government in December 2023 and dismantled the organisation. A small faction led by Paresh Baruah is currently active and operating from a foreign soil.
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