ULFA (I) commander Rupam Asom arrested near Assam-Arunachal border

Authorities confirmed that Rupam Asom was in possession of deadly weapons at the time of his arrest. Known for his involvement in multiple armed insurgent operations, Rupam was considered one of the most wanted militants in the region.

According to reliable sources, he was the mastermind behind several attacks, including the May 4, 2018, deadly ambush, which led to the death of Bordumsa Police Station Officer-in-Charge, Bhaskar Kalita.

He was also involved in the abduction of Quippo Drilling employees--Drilling Superintendent P.K. Gogoi of Sivasagar and radio operator Ram Kumar of Bihar--who were kidnapped from Diyun Circle in Changlang District on December 21, 2020.

The arrest is being hailed as a significant blow to ULFA (I) and a momentous achievement for Assam's security forces. Senior officials have stated that operations will continue across vulnerable areas, particularly along the border, as more crackdowns are expected in the coming days.

Security forces hope to gain critical intelligence to dismantle remaining militant networks.

In a separate incident which took place earlier in Jharkhand today, two Naxal leaders from the Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP) group, including its chief Pappu Lohra and zonal commander Prabhat Ganjhu, were neutralised by Jharkhand Police in Latehar district on Saturday.

The encounter, which took place during a search operation, resulted in the death of both leaders, who were carrying bounties of Rs 10 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively. Police also recovered arms and ammunition from the site.

Amol Vinukant Homkar, IG Operations of Jharkhand Police, confirmed the operation's success, calling it a "big day" in the region's ongoing battle against Naxalism.

Speaking to ANI, Homkar said, "It's a big day for all the security forces working in Jharkhand to eliminate Naxalism. JJMP Naxal group - along with its Supremo Pappu Lohra - were gathered in Latehar PS area for inducing violence." (ANI)