Guwahati: In a major breakthrough, security agencies on Monday arrested a total of 18 NDFB(S) terrorists, including the commanding officer of its 13th battalion Bikunas Narzary alias Birlangbai, from different places across Assam and a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered.
Defence spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Suneet Newton said five NDFB(S) militants were arrested from Udalguri district, while 11 were apprehended from Chirang.
Joint forces, comprising army, Assam Police and NIA team, have also nabbed one terrorist each from Baksa district and Guwahati city.
Based on a specific intelligence, a joint operation was launched along the forest area of Assam-Arunachal border in Udalguri, the spokesperson said.
"The operation resulted in capture of dreaded terrorist Bikunas Narzary alias Birlangbai with another four hardcore terrorists namely Bidai Singh Narzary alias Bugdaw, Lohit Basumatry alias B Ferkw, N Araibaw alias Aijak Narzary and Dura Singh Brahma alias B Khamshaw," he said.
The team also recovered one AK-56 Rifle with magazine, one 9 mm pistol (foreign made) with holster, 25 7.62 mm live rounds, 54 9 mm live rounds and one hand grenade.
"The apprehension of Bikunas Narzary alias Birlangbai is a body blow to the NDFB(S) as he is the self-styled commanding officer of 13th battalion of NDFB(S)... With apprehension of him along with other accomplices, it can be said that the top leadership of 13th battalion of NDFB(S) is wiped off," the spokesperson said in a statement.
In another major blow to the terror outfit, 11 of its cadres were apprehended in a joint operation from the Panbari forest area of Chirang district.
