Post-Bhutan, Ulfa eyes tea bucks

Dibrugarh, June 17: The Ulfa extortion machinery is up and running after the Bhutan-induced stupor, and the tea industry is again the prime target. The general-officer-commanding of the army’s 4 Corps today said the Ulfa was desperate for money to reorganise its units, some of which took a severe beating during the military operation by Bhutan.

“The militant group is desperate to resurrect itself in the region. We are in touch with the big tea companies and other likely targets of its extortion campaign,” Lt Gen. Anup S. Jamwal told the media at the army’s Dinjan base in Dibrugarh district.

The 4 Corps chief said several tea companies had received extortion notes from the Ulfa, which was going all out to fill its coffers and increase its cadre strength. He urged the people of Assam to share information with the army about the movements of militants.

Gen. Jamwal reviewed the situation with senior army commanders posted at the Dinjan base of the 2 Mountain Division and the commanding officers of various units deployed in Upper Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

A week ago, chief minister Tarun Gogoi expressed concern over the Ulfa reviving its “friendship” with the NSCN (Isak-Muivah).

“We have information that the Ulfa is in touch with the NSCN (I-M), which is a source of concern for us. We have spoken to the Centre about it.”

There are unconfirmed reports that the Ulfa recently signed an arms deal worth Rs 10 crore with the Kachin Independent Army of Myanmar.

The Ulfa has been preying on tea companies since its formation in 1979. Intelligence agencies have reported that the group is trying to mop up Rs 50 lakh from at least 20 large estates spread across Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts.

There was an uproar last year when corporate behemoth Hindustan Lever Ltd claimed to have received an Ulfa note demanding Rs 2 crore. The company, which owns tea gardens in Upper Assam, approached the Centre and, subsequently, the army for protection.

The Ulfa’s rocket-propelled grenades, however, pierced the four-tier security cover at the residential complex of a Lever unit in Tinsukia district on November 26.

One of the rockets struck the kitchen of a residence. The kitchen wall and a refrigerator were damaged, but there was no casualty.

The four-layer security system comprises Assam Tea Plantation Security Force personnel in the inner ring, an India Reserve Battalion unit in the second, the Central Reserve Police Force in the third and the BSF in the fourth.

The army camp at Rupai, 10 km from the area, provides supplementary cover.