The banned armed militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) on Saturday stated that miscreants demanding money in the name of the outfit must be identified by the public and punished severely because they do not belong to the outfit and are misleading the people.
In a previous official statement, the ULFA-I media department member self-styled Captain Rumel Axom (undersigned) said, "ULFA-I wants to clarify through this release that confessions made by a vicious circle who are accused of demanding huge sums of money from various organisations, traders, and contractors in Kakopathar by using the name of the ULFA-I and who have also recently been arrested by the police, do not belong to the outfit."
"Therefore, I implore the people of Assam to identify the individual who collects money in the name of the organization, without giving in to such false accusations and to administer severe punishment in the people's court,” the press release reads further.
Earlier, Assam Police apprehended one United Liberation Front of Asom's (ULFA) linkman from Kakopathar in Tinsukia district of the state on July 21.
The arrested linkman, identified as Sanjay Barua, was arrested while he went to collect extortion money from a businessman.
As per the official, the businessman was asked to pay extortion money of Rs 15 lakh and Barua had gone to collect it.
Meanwhile, two cadres of the banned militant outfit, United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA-I) surrendered at Laju in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tirap district, reports emerged on Saturday.
The cadres identified as Rituraj Gohain alias Moina Asom and Mantha Neog surrendered before the 6th Assam Rifles.
Both the cadres are in Assam Rifle’s custody at the moment, sources said.