Assam: ULFA linkman held in Tinsukia while collecting extortion money

Assam Police has apprehended one United Liberation Front of Asom's (ULFA) linkman from Kakopathar in Tinsukia district of the state, said an official on July 21.

The arrested linkman, identified as Sanjay Barua, was arrested while he went to collect extortion money from a businessman.

As per the official, the businessman was asked to pay extortion money of Rs 15 lakh and Barua had gone to collect it. 

''We have received some inputs claiming that the people from ULFA have been demanding extortion money from a businessman in the Tinsukia district. The businessman was to keep the extortion money at some place. Later, a person came to collect it and he was apprehended by the police. On the instructions of Projit Assam, Sanjay Barua had come to collect money from the businessman,'' said Additional SP, Bivas Das while speaking to media over the matter.

Das further informed that the money was demanded by the Major Pilot Assam and a boy who went to collect the money has been identified as Sanjay Barua.

''Earlier Barua was in ULFA. However, in 2019 he surrendered. He is a resident of Kakopathar. We suspect that he might have demanded the money for his personal benefit,'' he added.

The additional SP said that an investigation is underway presently and police are expecting that some details will come out soon.