ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa arrested in Bangladesh

Rajkhowa,whose real name is Rajib Rajkonwar,who was among top four leaders who founded the separatist outfit way back in April 7,1979,is understood to have been arrested “somewhere near Dhaka” on Monday night. Interestingly,it was only on November 5 that two other senior leaders,“foreign secretary” Sasha Choudhury and “finance secretary” Chitraban Hazarika were arrested in Bangladesh and handed over to India. Union home secretary GK Pillai however said Choudhury and Hazarika had surrendered to the authorities.

The arrest of Rajkhowa (53),who is likely to be handed over to India in the next couple of days,also looks like paving way for initiating peace talks between the government and the ULFA. While Rajkhowa has been talking about possible peace negotiations with the government,several senior leaders like Choudhury,Hazarika and ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain (all currently in jail) have been saying that it was Rajkhowa who would take the “final decision” on holding talks with the government.

Rajkhowa’s arrest also indicates a vertical division between the pro-talk section of ULFA leaders and the anti-talk section headed by Paresh Barua. The latter has been vehemently opposing the idea of holding any discussion with the government except on the issue of sovereignty.

The arrested ULFA chairman,who did not complete his graduation,is the second of three sons of freedom fighter Umakanta Rajkonwar who passed away three years ago at the age of 101 years. Accused of several cases including that of waging a war against India,Rajkhowa also has an Interpol red corner notice against him,issued on June 4,1997. Out of India since 1992,Rajkhowa is known to keep traveling to Myanmar,Bhutan,Thailand,Bhutan,Pakistan and other countries on fake identity and fake passports.