B’desh court awards lifer to Ulfa men

By Our BUREAU

Guwahati/NEW DELHI, April 8: Two Ulfa leaders have been awarded life imprisonment by a court in Bangladesh.

Ranjan Chowdhury and his associate Pradip Marak were awarded life imprisonment by the Kishoreganj’s District and Sessions Judge.

The militants were caught in July 2010 by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from Lakhsmipur area of Bhairab Upazila in Kishoreganj. The Bangladesh security forces had found a number of weapons in their possession.

Chowdhury had been staying in Bangladesh since 1997.

A pistol, a revolver, four rounds of ammunition and four gredes were seized from them.

Four cases were filed against them under the Arms Act, Explosives Substances Act, illegal entry in the country and anti-terrorism acts. Their trial had started in the court on February 3, 2013.

Ranjan was found guilty on both counts, while Pradip was acquitted in the case under the arms act.

The case of illegal entry was resolved on December 3, 2013 as they had spent the three years jail term for the offence by then.

Major Ranjan, as he is known in the outfit, specializes in military training and was working for Ulfa since 1990. He hails from Madhu Salmora of Gauripur in Dhubri.

He escaped to Bangladesh in 1995 after serving a year in prison in India.

However, he was in constant touch with Ulfa leaders in Bhutan and Nepal, including its military wing chief Paresh Barua.

Ranjan lived at Gazni in Jheigati Upazila in Sherpur, Bangladesh, and married a Bangladeshi woman Sabitri Dum in 2001. It is said that ULFA leaders Paresh Barua and Shashadhar Chowdhury attended the marriage ceremony, Bangladesh media reported. His associate Pradip Marak used to work for a local NGO in Sherpur, but later got involved with ULFA after coming into contact with Ranjan.

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