Guwahati: Proscribed militant outfit, United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent on Sunday issued a “warning” to the Assam Director General of Police, GP Singh over recent police actions in the state.
The threat was issued to the police chief through a press statement that was issued to the media via mail on Sunday by ULFA-I leader, Rumel Asom.
It came in response to a police firing incident that left one alleged extortionist injured in Upper Assam.
ULFA-I alleged several instances where individuals were falsely collecting money in the name of their organisation.
The group also denied any association with a woman surnamed Gogoi from Tinsukia, who was apprehended by Dibrugarh police for allegedly collecting funds in the name of the organisation.
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In the statement, ULFA opposed the “persecution of innocent people” by linking them to their organization and urged police to halt such actions.
They claimed that Hem Chetia from Sivasagar district, who was arrested and shot in the leg by the police, was not authorised to collect funds on behalf of the organisation.
The organisation said that he might have been exploited by others who falsely used their name for their own nefarious purposes.
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The statement further called out DGP GP Singh, accusing him of orchestrating fake “encounters” and displaying repeated acts of bravery.
ULFA-I in the statement issued a final warning demanding an immediate end to such incidents.
The police are yet to make an official statement regarding the issue.
It may be mentioned that Hema Chetia was arrested on Saturday.
According to police, Rs 164000 was seized from Hema Chetia.
Talking to media persons, Dibrugarh Superintendent of Police Shwetank Mishra said, “We have apprehended, Hema Chetia from Khowang. We have seized Rs 27,000 from Hema Chetia and later Rs 1 lakh also seized from his possession,”.
“During interrogation, Hema Chetia revealed that more extortion money was kept in his house. A joint team went to his house to seize the extortion money at Tinthengia gaon and an altercation took place he tried to attack the policemen with a grenade-type thing”, he added.
Mishra said that to disarm him, the police team fired at his leg injuring him.
He was admitted at AMCH and out of danger, Mishra said.
The SP said, “We have received a bottle grenade and Rs 10000 from his residence. During, the interrogation, Hema Chetia revealed that he was a former ULFA-I cadre.
“Hema Chetia is basically a Ulfa(I) linkman and collected extortion money from businessmen and transport it to other linkmen,” he said.