Ulfa disbanded, to surrender weapons soon

{44 YEARS AFTER FORMATION} AFTER PACT WITH CENTRE, ASSAM GOVT

- Utpal Parashar

Forty-four years after it was formed, the United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa), which had set creating a sovereign Assam as its main goal, disbanded on Tuesday.

The decision was taken at the outfit's final general meeting held at Sipajhar, located around 55km from Guwahati, 25 days after Ulfa signed a tripartite memorandum of settlement in New Delhi with the Centre and the Assam government on December 29.

"The decision to disband and dissolve the outfit was taken at the meeting today as stipulated by the settlement signed in Delhi. With this, the cases of sedition on the outfit will be lifted," Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said. Reacting to the development, additional DGP (special branch) of Assam Police, Hiren Chandra Nath, said: "With today's development, Ulfa ceases to exist. The outfit's leadership will formally hand over an intimation of this to the state government and it will be followed by their cadres vacating the designated camps and handing over of arms at an official event."