NDFB(S) platoon commander shot dead, Bidai in Bhutan

Our Bureau

Kokrajhar/ Guwahati, January 10: The mastermind of the Serfanguri massacre was today gunned down by police even as intelligence inputs suggested that NDFB(S) deputy army chief Bidai, said to be main plotter of the December 23 carge, has fled to Bhutan.

Acting on a a “secret information” regarding the presence of the platoon commander of the Serphanguri unit of the Bodo outfit Jagat Basumatary alias Jeblang and some cadres inside a dense forest, about 5 km north of Khousi Bazaar, a massive operation was launched by police with the help of SSB personnel on Saturday.

“When the security forces reached the location at around 1.40 pm, the militants opened fire indiscrimitely. We retaliated and in the gunbattle Jeblang was shot dead. Three/four cadres maged to escape,” Kokrajhar additiol superintendent of police Surjeet Singh Panesar said. The slain terrorist carried Rs 5 lakh on his head.

One AK 56 rifle along with a magazine, 21 rounds of live ammunitions, two 36 hand gredes and 18 fired cases of AK 56 ammunitions were recovered from the encounter site. Search is on in the area to b the fleeing militants.

This is the second major success by security forces after yesterday’s arrest of seven terrorists responsible for the December 23 carge.

Meanwhile, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) has inputs that Bidai, who plotted the massacres at four locations in Sonitpur and BTAD killing 81 people, has crossed over to Bhutan along with 20/25 members of his group.

The other lower rung cadres of the outfit have reportedly dumped their weapons and clothing and have blended into the mainstream. “This set of cadres has mixed into the crowd. Security forces know very little about these cadres, most of whom have been recruited newly. As such, even if they are moving around, it is difficult to identify them,” said a senior police official in Kokrajhar.

On the other hand, official sources said communications are on at the “highest level” between Indian and Bhutan government to tighten the noose around the Bidai group. The sources even claimed that “it is a matter of time that Bidai will either be caught or will be forced to surrender.”

A strong vigil has been maintained along the intertiol border with Bhutan, the sources said, adding that an extra battalion of army has been deployed in Kokrajhar after the carge.

Police sources said two more cadres of the outfit – identified as Ganda Basumatary and Bullet Basumatary – were apprehended later in the day. One 7.65mm pistol and four rounds were seized from them.

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