ULFA explosives recovered in Shillong school

A huge cache of arms and explosives, believed to have been hidden by ULFA conduits, has been recovered from a school here.

Two AK 47 assault rifles, three grenades, five kilograms of explosives, two walkie talkies, one flash gun, two detonators, six magazines and 125 ammunition were recovered late last night from the premises of Assamese Navodaya Vidayalaya School, SP AR Mawthoh said.

The recovery followed spotting a suitcase left behind by some unidentified people after being chased by some students near the school. Police found three powerful grenades and 125 live ammunition from the suitcase.

Later, a search conducted led to the recovery of the arms, wrapped in plastic, ADG (special branch) SK Jain said.

Some arms were kept in a suitcase and others buried underground, he said.

According to documents seized, the arms and explosives had been delivered to one Young Changma by top ULFA commander Drishti Rajkhowa way back in May 13, 1998.

Changma was asked to keep the weapons at a secret place, but police were yet to confirm as to how long the explosives were lying there.

SP Mawthoh said that preliminary investigation revealed that the cache has been lying undiscovered at the spot for a "reasonably good period, may be several years."