By Our Kokrajhar Web Desk
Kokrajhar( Assam ),July 22: A total 23 members including the self styled Army Chief of National Liberation Front of Boroland (NLFB) M Batha (Binode Mushahary), NLFB chairman B Bungtigwra returned to the mainstream from jungle and surrendered before the Assam police today at Lalpani police outpost in Udalguri district of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) in the presence of Assam cabinet minister Pijush Hazarika and BTR chief executive member Pramod Boro.
The NLFB members led by M Batha came forward to join the mainstream to ensure a path of peace and progress in the region.
NLFB militant leaders also laid down 4 nos of AK-47 series riffle,3 nos handmade guns and several items before the police during the surrender ceremony .
The NLFB militant outfit was reportedly formed on February 2021 after the organisation sent video clips to the media and accordingly the NLFBs name reached out to the masses.
The militant outfit is led by it’s chairman B Bungtigwra,B Boko as vice chairman and M Batha as chief of army who were former members of the dissolved NDFB .
The NLFB said that they had taken up arms struggle to protect and safeguard the Bodo population .
Few days ago, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced NLFB leader M Batha as most wanted and announced Rs.10 lakh as reward to anyone who would inform about his whereabouts and today the NLFB leaders and members came out from the dense jungle area of Shikaridanga along the Assam- Arunachal Pradesh border of Udalguri district .
A welcome to the NLFB leaders was organised at Lalpani and outpost under Mazbat police station where NLFB leaders and cadres formally surrendered before the police administration in the presence of Assam cabinet minister Pijush Hazarika and BTR CEM Pramod Boro besides top police officials of the state.
All the leaders and members of the NLFB were welcomed and felicitated with traditional Aronai .
Batha,who was previously a member of the dissolved National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).
Batha joined the insurgent group in 1996 and was trained in Bhutan and was considered to be one of the top members of the outfit .He was considered to be a “ bomb specialist” for his excellent bomb-making skills .
Recently the state government had announced a special rehabilitation package for the surrendered cadres in the annual fiscal budget for 2021-22 for rehabilitation of the former NDFB members.
Assam cabinet minister Pijush Hazarika while welcoming the NLFB militants outfit said that the government always wants peace and harmony among the society.
BTR CEM Pramod Boro while welcoming the NLFB leader and members who have returned to the mainstream said that the NLFB’s decision to return to the mainstream is a win for the developmental agenda of Govt of Assam led by CM Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma & Bodoland Territorial Region government in the region.
” BTR starts walking on the path of progress with a greater vision. I welcome NLFB’s decision to walk on the path of peace in BTR”, Boro said adding that the homecoming of NLFB chief M Batha and all top leaders of the organization is truly a historic moment for BTR & its people”.
Boro has also extended gratitude towards Assam chief minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma for guiding the mission with a greater vision to build a peace and integrity among the society.
Meanwhile ,family members of NLFB leader M Batha have expressed their happiness on his return to the mainstream from jungles today.
M Batha hails from Daloabari village under Kokrajhar police station of Kokrajhar district.
“We are very happy and excited with information that M Batha has arrived to the soil of Assam “, said Batha’s sister , Bibharani Brahma.
