GUWAHATI: Ulfa (I) commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah on Thursday said that his deputy Drishti Asom alias Drishti Rajkhowa alias Monoj Rabha has surrendered before authorities with approval of the outfit’s leadership on humanitarian grounds to take care of his wife who is fighting with cancer and their two minor children.
Drishti will formally lay down arms before the Army at Rangiya at 3.30pm and with his exit from the outfit, Paresh Baruah has lost his last field commanders. Drishti who was promoted by Baruah as deputy commander-in-chief, headed the outfit’s dreaded ‘109th battalion’ and Drishti was in-charge of the southern part of Assam from westernmost district of Goalpara bordering Garo hills of Meghalaya till Guwahati city.
Baruah’s other field commanders have long left him—some have surrendered while oterhs have died. Before Drishti, the last field commander who left Baruah and the outfit was commander of ‘709th battalion’, Hira Sarania alias Naba Kumar Sarania, who is now an independent MP in Lok Sabha (Kokrajhar constituency).
Baruah said, “It is true that Drishti Asom has surrendered. He has taken this step with approval from the organization and on humanitarian grounds. His wife is suffering from cancer and they have two minor children. Fourteen days back Drishti was engaged in an encounter with security forces in Garo Hills and for seven days he was gharaoed along with other cadres. He was in constant touch with me and I told him not to take the extreme step and asked him to stop fighting knowing fully well about his wife’s health condition and the wellbeing of his two children. Surrender was the only option for him left.”
Baruah added, “Drishti’s contribution for the organization has been immense and I cannot forget that for the organization he had left behind his parents and brothers long back.”
Subsequently Drishti and four of his companions got themselves nabbed at the hands of Meghalaya Police at Nongal on Wednesday evening who were later handed over to the Army at Dilsengre village in the district. Drishti and four others will be handed over to Assam Police later on Thursday. Drishti hails from Rongjuli in Goalpara district.
The other members are Yashin Asom of Lakhipur, Rup Iyoti Asom from Krishnai, Babul Asom from Goalpara and Rahul Asom from Moran. Meghalaya police also recovered one AK-81, two 9 mm pistols, 90 rounds of AK-81, nine rounds of 9 mm ammo and eight rounds of .32 ammo from their possession.