United Liberation Front of Barak Valley (ULFBV) - Terrorist Group of Assam

Formation

The United Liberation Front of Barak Valley (ULFBV) was reportedly formed in the year 2002.

Objectives

The ULFBV was formed with the purported objective of creating a separate homeland for the tribal population in the Karimganj and Hailakandi districts of Assam.

Leadership and Area of Operation

Not much is known about the leadership structure. The outfit’s ‘commander in chief’ Pancharam Reang and his bodyguard, Dulal Singh Reang, were arrested on September 2, 2003, in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam. The outfit has an estimated strength of 50 cadres, all of whom are tribals.

The Karimganj and Hailakandi districts remain the area of operations of the outfit. After formation, the outfit is reported to have planned to organize a series of strikes on the soft targets in both the districts. It also had prepared a plan to abduct civilians for ransom.

Linkages and Activities

The interrogation of the ULFBV ‘commander in chief’ revealed that the outfit’s attempt to have a nexus with the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) in Nagaland for arms fell through after the latter reportedly demanded an ‘exorbitant price’. Later, the ULFBV is also reported to have attempted procuring arms from Bangladesh. At present, the outfit is known to have two AK-47 rifles, three 9mm pistols and about 40 country made guns in its possession.

According to official sources, two ULFBV cadres were killed in the year 2002.

2010

February 17: An unnamed spokesman of the newly formed outfit United Democratic Liberation Front of Barak Valley (UDLFBV) claimed that "Reangs are not involved in the kidnapping of forest guard Nizamuddin Majumdar." He said that it might be the handiwork of Atabur Bahini, a gang of goons operating along the Assam-Mizoram border of South Hailakandi. The forest guard was abducted at gun-point on February 13 and abductors demanded INR one million and 10 sets of cellular phones from his family members. Sources said they were speaking in broken Bengali language and it was assumed that they might belong to the Reang community. The report adds that UDLFBV had recently come up after the Panchram Apeto led ULFBV surrendered before the Assam Government in September 2008 while another Reang outfit United Democratic Liberation Army (UDLA) almost perished following the arrest of its leader Dhanyanram Reang. The report also mentioned that Dhanyaram's erstwhile accomplice Atabur formed his own group Atabur Bahini, which has increased its activities in the region.

2008

October 24: Altogether 305 surrendered cadres of the ULFBV joined the District Congress Committee of Hailakandi.

September 30: A total of 305 armed militants of the ULFBV led by its ‘president’ Pancharam Apeto, surrendered at the ITA Cultural Complex in Guwahati in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and top police and Army authorities. The militants also laid down arms and ammunition, including three AK-47 rifles, an M-16 rifle, 60 .12 guns, four grenades, two mortar cells and 158 rounds of AK series ammunition.

September 23: Leaders and cadres of the ULFBV would surrender with arms and ammunition in Guwahati on September 30. An elaborate arrangement including terms and conditions of the surrender has been finalized for the occasion from the Government’s side.