A militant group in Assam Saturday renounced violence and 2,641 of their cadres surrendered arms to the government in the disturbed Bodoland area.
Cadres of the Bodo Liberation Tigers led by chairman Hagrama Basumatary made a symbolic surrender in front of government leaders paving the way for the formation of an interim council that will administer the Bodo-dominated areas in the state.
Even as the BLT, which was formed in June 1996 in order to push the Bodos' bid for a separate state, was disbanded, questions about rehabilitation of the cadres remained uppermost in the leaders' minds.
Saturday's ceremony comes nearly 10 months after an accord to create an autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council was signed between the BLT, the Centre and the Assam government in February.