Shillong (PTI): A top ULFA leader was killed in a gunfight at Kathalbari in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district on Sunday. Security forces gunned down self-styled sergeant major Madan Koch, who allegedly ferried arms regularly from Bangladesh to Assam, during a joint operation by the Army's Assam-based Third Sikh Regiment and Meghalaya police at Kathalbari along the Assam-Meghalaya border, West Garo Hills SP JFK Marak said.Koch, police said, was the operational head of the separatist group's 109 battalion. He was the key contact for transaction of arms, ammunition and explosives from Bangladesh to Assam through the Garo Hills corridor. Police seized a 9 mm pistol, two magazines, one hand-grenade, a wireless set, two mobile sets and 8.6 kg of RDX from the slain rebel's possession.
Intelligence reports had earlier indicated that ULFA rebels were using Garo Hills region as a corridor to sneak in from bases in Bangladesh. Koch's killing is seen as a major blow to the outfit by intelligence officials.
With ULFA and four other rebel groups calling for boycotting the Republic Day celebarations in Northeastern states, top intelligence officials said Koch had monitored delivery of a large quantity of arms to Assam during the past one month for use on and before January 26.