Assam youth, who joined ULFA-I last year, allegedly executed in Myanmar

A youth from Assam’s Bajali district who had joined the banned United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) has reportedly been executed for attempting to flee their camp in Myanmar.

His father said, “My son Abinash Kalita joined ULFA-I on March 9, 2022. I was informed recently that he was killed while attempting to flee the camp, thus, I urge ULFA-I Commander-in-Chief Paresh Baruah to clarify his stand on the matter, if he is alive.”

The father claimed that his son along with another young cadre attempted to escape from camp earlier in September, both were caught and later executed.

Kalita was a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) player and in 2017, he participated in the 1st All India Open MMA Championship and scored well.

The father said that the condition of the ULFA-I camp is very pathetic and below standard. Moreover, the cadres are fed only with ‘Parimal Rice’ and ‘Lai Xaak’ (Mustard Greens) twice daily, he added.

“There is a scarcity of food in the ULFA-I camps, the cadres are fed meal twice daily i.e. only in the morning and during the afternoon hours. They don’t serve dinner. Due to this, many youths have died in the camp,” he said.

Assam Director General of Police, Gyanendra Pratap Singh, wrote on X, “Once again, same story. They won’t change. Young friends from Assam, don’t waste your life for an autocratic organisation. Your life has no value there. Please, please, please.”

Sharing Abinash’s father’s quote from a media report, Singh wrote, “My question remains the same - Why waste your life for an ungrateful tyrant.”

On September 20, ULFA-I killed two Assam residents for similar reasons and on October 3 they confirmed this through a statement sent to some Assam-based media platforms.

ULFA-I said that senior cadres identified as Lachit Hazarika alias Salim Ali and Barnali Axom alias Nayanmoni Chetia were found guilty of violating norms.

“They were found guilty of committing 17 offences as per the ULFA-I Constitution and the norms. Hence, the duo was given the death sentence by our court on September 18,” they wrote. Both of them were reportedly executed in Myanmar on September 20.

Assam DGP, through a post on X, asked the militant group to share the location of the dead bodies and assured that they’ll coordinate with “any government” to bring the dead bodies back.

“We will coordinate with any government to bring back the bodies of our people. Please let us know where you left the body. Grieving families deserve this from you,” he wrote on October 4.

However, the dead bodies were neither sent back home by ULFA-I nor could the security agencies find them.

On Saturday, 181 cadres of insurgent group Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) surrendered arms in Dima Hasao district before Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Sarma said that almost all the insurgent groups have surrendered arms and joined mainstream and (ULFA-I) will soon join the mainstream.