Assam MLAs get extortion calls from ULFA hawks

Sitting MLAs from various political parties in Assam have received extortion demand from the anti-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom.

Though exact number of such MLAs receiving demand for money from the ULFA was not known, at least four of these MLAs have made it public and lodged complaint with the police in this connection.

Ruling Congress MLAs Bolin Chetia from Sadiya assembly constituency, Rupjyoti Kurmi from Mariani assembly constituency, Debabrata Saikia from Nazira assembly constituency and BJP MLA from Doom Dooma assembly constituency, Dilip Maran, have been served extortion notice by the ULFA anti-talks faction.

All these MLAs have been asked to pay Rs 20 lakh each to the banned outfit through extortion letters sent to them. Congress MLAS Bolin Chetia claimed that he had even been called up by a senior ULFA leader called Guli Asom demanding the money.

The legislative assembly constituencies represented by these are located along Assam's boundary with either Arunachal Pradesh or Nagaland in eastern part of the state.

The ULFA hawks are suspected to have positioned some of its cadres in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh while its main base is now located inside Myanmar territory.

Security forces have already mounted vigil against the ULFA hawks all over the state to restrict their movements and extortion operations.

However, the organisation is continuing with its extortion operation in various parts of the state.

Earlier, ruling Congress MLA from Majuli assembly constituency, that has jurisdiction over entire Majuli river island, had stated that Congress party workers in Majuli are scared because of rampant extortion demands from the outlawed ULFA militants.

Security sources, however, claim that nowadays more and more people are coming forward to lodge complaint against ULFA's extortion demand that has been of immense help in preventing the outfit from fleecing gullible people.