Three Bodo militants accused in Assam violence held in Navi Mumbai

Three National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants, who are believed to have played a key role in the ethnic violence in Assam last year which claimed 74 lives, have been arrested from Navi Mumbai by the Maharashtra ATS, an official said on Saturday.

"We have arrested three NDFB militants on Friday and a local court today granted their transit remand till April 10," the official said, adding they are suspected to have played a prominent role in the violence in December last year in which 74 people were killed.

The trio has been identified as Bisho alias Ansai Songa Basumatary (22), Swamkhwr Basumatary (20) and Purno Narzary (19). He said they were working in a cold storage unit in Taloja. "They were living in separate places. They were caught after we kept a close eye on them and their movement," the official added.

In Assam, they are wanted in a case of kidnapping, conspiracy and waging a war against the nation, registered against them in Chariduar police station. After the violence, many militants fled the north eastern state after police began a crackdown, he added.