Meanwhile, People's Committee for Peace in Assam on Friday condemned the police action to arrest the fasting wives of 'missing' ULFA leaders.
Police on Tuesday recovered 30 grenades along with equal number of explosives laden in an auto rickshaw that was coming from Daranga Mela on the India-Bhutan border in Baksa district of Assam to Ghograpar in Nalbari district where some ULFA militants were awaiting the consignment. Police, which intercepted the auto rickshaw midway near Bhutan bus stop at Rangiya in Kamrup district, arrested two suspected ULFA militants.
The militant outfit had withdrawn its call asking the people to boycott the 33rd Indian National Games.
A security source informed that a four-member team of ULFA militants were on their way to Tengapani forest in Arunachal Pradesh when they came face to face with an army team.
Security has been heightened in Assam ahead of the ULFA's Raising Day on March 16. On Thursday, a hardcore ULFA militant, who was wanted in connection with bomb blasts, murder of Hindi-speaking people and extortion, was killed in an encounter with the army.
The first indication came from ULFA chairman Aurobidno Rajkhowa who late Tuesday night called up media organisations from his secret location to inform that a 'positive decision regarding the reconsideration would be taken soon.
A direct contest between nominees of the BJP-led NDA and Congress-headed Grand Alliance is on the cards in 20 constituencies
The bomb, kept in the Ganeshguri wholesale vegetable market, exploded at around 6.50 pm.
Kanth told PTI that some areas in forests often visited by insurgents have been identified and neutralised. He did not give the exact number of militants nabbed so far.
Troops launched an offensive in the Manabhum reserve forests in Arunachal Pradesh to search out United Liberation Front Asom rebels as intensifed army operations against the militant outfit entered the third day on Friday.
"If they think that by violence they can sabotage holding of the National Games then my government would go to any extent to ensure that the games are staged befitting the dignity and pride of the state of Assam," he said.
The ULFA made light of the OIL stand that seismic survey in Brahmaputra riverbed has become necessary,
A joint team of police and the army shot dead a sergeant major Madan Koch of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom at Kathalbari in West Garo Hills of Meghalaya on Sunday.
The villagers were venting their anger after militants burnt down at least 100 abandoned houses including the residence of Sugnu Congress MLA K Ranjit at Serou in Kakching district on Saturday midnight.
The proscribed United Liberation Front of Asom on Tuesday stated that Assamese soldiers and officers working in the Indian defence forces for the sake of earning their livelihood should join the ULFA-led 'revolution for restoration of sovereignty of Assam'.
The ULFA militant was killed in the Manabhum Reserve Forest in Arunachal Pradesh following a gun battle with army personnel.
The decision was taken in view of continued violence and extortion by ULFA cadres, Union home ministry officials said.
The proscribed known to have camps in Mon district of Nagaland, which is dominated by the NSCN-IM rebels, now in ceasefire with Government of India. The police said the reason behind the group clash between members of two insurgent outfits was not known.
The peace process between the United Liberation Front of Asom and the Centre appears to have hit a roadblock with both sides refusing to back down from their respective stands.
Rajkhowa hoped the ULFA's decision would bring about a atmosphere conducive to talks with the government.
Each side is waiting for the other to make the move towards direct talks.
A senior police official said it was a lethal blow to the outfit when Prabal Neog, the most- wanted commander of the outfit's highly active 28th battalion was apprehended
the ULFA for the first time revealed that chairman Aurobindo Rajkhowa and commander-in-chief Paresh Bara would have agreed on negotiations had the peace talk moved ahead.
The police said both suspects were unemployed and drug addicts and were used by the ULFA to plant the bomb in lieu of money
The Assam government has hailed the decision of the 'A' and 'C' companies of the 28 th battalion of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom to call a unilateral truce. The 28th battalion is considered the most potent force of the banned ULFA.
The bomb was hidden in a motorcycle in the busy area and exploded at about 1745 hours.
Regarding the security arrangements for the forthcoming National Games to be held in the state, Gogoi exuded confidence to hold the event smoothly notwithstanding ULFA triggering blasts in the city in regular intervals of late.
Army soldiers and paramilitary forces had also fanned out to the bordering jungles in Arunchal Pradesh to demolish the camps set up by the ultras for shelter and training.
'While they target Hindus from other parts of India, they never target Bengali-speaking Muslims from Bangladesh.'
The modalities for the talks are yet to be finalised.
All ULFA and NDFB camps in the Himalayan kingdom were wiped out when the Royal Bhutanese Army launched Operation All Clear in 2003, said Bhutan's Joint Secretary (Home) Dasho Tsering Wangta.
Chief of ULFA's army wing, Paresh Barua, is known to have visited Pakistan to seek its assistance in the outfit's activities.
Union Home Secretary V K Duggal has said there has been no confirmation yet.
With the ceasefire with United Liberation Front of Asom in Assam expiring at midnight on Wednesday, a high level meeting in New Delhi on Thursday reviewed the peace process with the banned group.
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