Abhijit Chaliha, Guwahati: Despite its dwindling strength, the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) [ULFA-I] continues to operate from three camps located inside Myanmar and is still actively involved in extortion activities along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. Recent operations by police and security forces led to the arrest of ULFA-I’s self-styled ‘operation commander’ Rupam Asom near the interstate border. His interrogation has revealed critical insights into the outfit’s activities, including extortion drives that reportedly raised around ₹6 crore in 2025 alone. According to police sources, most of the funds were forcibly collected in the border areas, as militants now avoid venturing deep into Assam due to increased security presence. However, lower-level cadres remain unaware of how or where the collected funds are being utilized. The ULFA-I maintains three key camps in Myanmar. The largest, known as the "general mobile headquarters," is led by senior leader Michael Deka Phukan and serves as the central training base. Another camp, the ‘Eastern camp’, currently has minimal activity and is under the command of Nayan Asom. The most active camp, however, is the "Arakan camp" or "Camp 779," headed by Arunodoi Asom, whose members are frequently dispatched to India for extortion, kidnapping, and violent operations. Rupam Asom was reportedly a key operative from this camp. In February this year, a 10-member team led by Rupam infiltrated India for fundraising and possible strikes. However, three members surrendered early on, weakening the group. Rupam’s subsequent arrest has further depleted their strength, with the remaining members believed to be hiding in Arunachal Pradesh. During questioning, Rupam disclosed growing dissatisfaction among ULFA-I cadres, citing dire conditions in the Myanmar camps. New recruits, misled by lofty promises, are now struggling with harsh jungle living, extreme shortages of basic supplies like food and clothing, and internal rivalry among leaders vying for influence with outfit chief Paresh Baruah. Sources added that while Rupam was once in the good books of Baruah for his operational skills, he has not had contact with the elusive leader in the last four to five years. Security forces view this development as a significant breakthrough in their efforts to curb ULFA-I's lingering insurgency.
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