ULFA chairman Rajkhowa handed over to BSF

ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa was handed over to the BSF by Bangladeshi security agencies at an outpost along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya early this morning, official sources said.

Rajkhowa, along with ten others, including ULFA's military operations deputy chief Raju Barua, were handed over at the Dawki outpost in the Jaintia hills district, the sources said.

Along with them were Rajkhowa's bodyguard, his wife and two children, Raju Barua's wife and son, and wife and daughter of ULFA's self-styled foreign secretary Sashadhar Choudhury, they said.

They were then flown to Guwahati for completion of various legal formalities.

On reaching Guwahati, Rajkhowa, Barua and the others were taken into preventive custody, the sources said.

Rajkhowa, whose real name is Rajib Rajkonwar, is among four people who founded the separatist outfit on April 7, 1979.

The ULFA Chairman is the son of a freedom fighter Umakanta Rajknowar, who died three years ago.

Accused in several cases, including that of waging war against India, Rajkowa has an Interpol Red Corner notice against him. He has been out of India since 1992 and is said to have lived in places including Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan.

Two other top ULFA leaders, self-styled Finance Secretary Chitrabon Hazarika and Foreign Secretary Sasha Choudhury had been arrested in Bangladesh in November last and handed over to Assam police in whose custody they are lodged at present.

The developments assume significance in view of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India slated later this month and also the signing of three proposed agreements, including an extradition treaty and another on combating international terrorism.