“Action Against Those Maligning Outfit’s Image”: Ulfa (I) Chief Paresh Baruah

Guwahati: The Paresh Baruah led Ulfa (Independent) faction has charged Assam police and chamber of commerce personnel of running an extortion racket in the name of the banned outfit.

The commander in chief of the outfit Baruah in an email statement on Thursday said that despite the outfit has called for a unilateral ceasefire on May 15 and restricted itself from any fund collection activities since then, incidents of extortion in the name of Ulfa (I) has been continuing.

The outfit had called for a ceasefire owing to the rising Covid19 situation in the region.

“Till the outfit doesn’t lift the ceasefire, no one in the group will violate the instructions. But for the last few days, we have noticed that an illegal racket run by a few state police personnel and one chamber of commerce are collecting money in the name of Ulfa (I) from non Assamese people in the state and maligning the outfit’s public image,” he alleged.

The statement added that if not stopped immediately, Ulfa (I) would take stern action upon those involved in the racket.

This was the second time the banned outfit has announced a unilateral ceasefire; the first time was in 2006.

The decision came days after Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma appealed the outfit to join peace talks.

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