Banned Outfit ULFA-I Claims Responsibility for Execution of Lachit Hazarika and Bornali Asom

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• Oct 3, 2023 | Dhupali Das

The banned ULFA (Independent) on Tuesday has taken responsibility for the execution of its top leaders, Lachit Hazarika, alias Brigadier Salim Asom, and...

Digital Desk: The banned ULFA (Independent) on Tuesday has taken responsibility for the execution of its top leaders, Lachit Hazarika, alias Brigadier Salim Asom, and cadre Bornali Asom, alias Nayanmani Chetia.

Salim Asom, a close associate of ULFA-I chief Paresh Baruah since the 1990s, was awarded the death penalty in Myanmar's Sagain area at Hachi camp on September 20. While Bornali, a newcomer who had joined the outfit in 2021, also faced the same fate at the hands of the armed militant group.

The ULFA-I issued an emailed media statement in which they accused Salim Asom and Bornali Asom of violating the organization's constitution and policies. The duo was allegedly cooperating with Indian intelligence forces, blackmailing comrades to force them into surrendering with weapons, and resorting to extrajudicial killings.

The statement further claimed that Salim Asom and Bornali Asom had misled the organization by providing false information to higher authorities, asserting that members had died in fake encounters similar to Assam Police operations. The two individuals were accused of conspiring to disable and destroy the organization's weapons and radios under the influence of high-ranking Assam Police and Indian Army officers.

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Additionally, ULFA-I alleged that Salim Asom and Bornali Asom had divulged secret routes used by the organization to the enemy and facilitated the escape of new members by providing them with vital information and assistance.

The statement disclosed that during interrogation, Bornali Asom had confessed to her close ties with the Assam Police and the Indian Army, further supporting the claims made against her and Salim Asom. Consequently, the ULFA-I issued the death sentence against them both.

Salim Asom's downfall began when he was demoted to the organization's headquarters after serving one year of rigorous imprisonment for various wrongdoings. However, the General Bench of the United Liberation Forces of Assam (I) found him guilty of repeatedly engaging in anti-organizational activities, leading to his ultimate sentencing.

This revelation has left the region in turmoil, raising questions about the internal dynamics and dissent within ULFA-I. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation as tensions continue to rise in the insurgency-stricken region.