By IANS,
Imphal : Sixteen militants of the separatist outfit Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel faction) have surrendered to the security forces, the paramilitary Assam Rifles said Wednesday.
“At the initiative of the Assam Rifles, 16 hardcore guerrillas of DHD (J) have surrendered to the paramilitary troopers at Churachandpur in western Manipur late Tuesday evening,” an official release said.
“The senior officials of Assam Rifles have explained to the surrendered rebels about the benefits of laying down arms and ammunition as well as the schemes of rehabilitation of the central and state governments,” the release added.
The ultras have deposited a huge cache of arms and ammunition.
This is the second surrender organised by 27 Sector Assam Rifles after 64 Sinlung People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) cadres surrendered to the Mizoram government in July, the release added.
Meanwhile, 364 militants belonging to DHD (J), popularly known as the Black Widow, have surrendered along with a huge cache of hi-tech foreign made weapons earlier this month in southern Assam.
The DHD (J) militants, active in the North Cachar Hills district of southern Assam, had unleashed a reign of terror in the region, killing an estimated 100 people so far this year and attacking passenger trains, resulting in suspension of railway services for several months.
The DHD (J) militants have set up hideouts in Western Manipur, besides southern Assam.