Teen held for pro-Ulfa posts on social media

GUWAHATI: A 17-year-old boy from Mangaldoi in Darrang district was arrested for posting slogans in favour of the banned separatist outfit Ulfa on social media on Sunday.
The accused, a resident of No. 2 Bamunpara area, had allegedly made several posts on Facebook lauding the militant outfit after an Assam Police official, Bhaskar Kalita, was killed in a gunfight with Ulfa (Independent) rebels on Friday. "It came to the notice of our social media monitoring team that the accused had posted slogans like 'Jai Ulfa' and 'Ulfa Zindabad', besides using offensive words against Assam Police. He was tracked and arrested immediately," SP of Darrang district Sreejith T told TOI.

After taking him into custody, police were surprised to find he possessed a toy gun which he had modified to a weapon.

"An air pistol and two pellets were also found in his possession. Though they were toys, he had modified the pellets to weapons by stuffing gun powder in the rear end. He was found to be using them to threaten others," the SP said. The accused, a school dropout, had picked up these skills online. The phone he used has also been seized.

Mangaldoi Police have charged him with waging a war against the government, publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form and possession of firearms or imitation firearms. He was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board on Monday, which sent him to a boys' home at Boko in Kamrup district.

Police sources said the accused has no direct association with any militant group, but may have "leanings" towards the outfits. "He has previous criminal records. He was accused of stealing money and allegedly knows a few Ulfa sympathizers in the area," the source added.

State Police have been on their toes since Ulfa (I)'s stepped up activities in the region and death of police officer Kalita. While the outfit appears to have softened its stance, with its chief expressing regret and saying the rebels did not mean to harm the officer, Assam Police has drawn flak since the incident.