ULFA linkman killed, two militants escape

Shillong, Oct 5 (IANS) A Bangladeshi linkman of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) was killed, while two ULFA rebels escaped after a gunfight with police in Meghalaya, an official said Tuesday.

The shoot-out took place late Monday night near Salbaripara village about a kilometre away from the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district, district police chief Dalton P. Marak told IANS.

'Based on specific inputs about the presence of two ULFA militants taking shelter in the residence of Sadon Koch (ULFA's linkman), we raided the house and it eventually led to a gunfight,' he said.

A home-made revolver with live ammunition was recovered from the site.

Marak said the ULFA militants had entered Meghalaya after crossing over from their hideouts in Bangladesh with the help of Koch.

Koch, a resident of Bangladesh's Sherpur district but settled in Salbaripara after marrying a local tribal girl, was ULFA's key linkman in facilitating the Assam-based rebels in criss-crossing the border and smuggling of arms and ammunition from Bangladesh to India.

'A hunt is on to nab the ULFA militants,' Marak said.