The Hindu : `KLO leader may be in Bangladesh'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 23, 2003

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`KLO leader may be in Bangladesh'

By Marcus Dam

Kolkata Dec. 22. Top leaders of the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) now in police custody in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district have, in the course of interrogations, confessed that the militant outfit's self-styled commander-in-chief, Jeevan Singh, "was last heard of as being in Bangladesh." They have also said that 13 KLO militants hiding in camps in southern Bhutan were captured by the Royal Bhutan Army.

Speaking to today, the Inspector-General, North Bengal, Bhupinder Singh, said that the information culled from those in custody, though dated, was crucial for further investigation. He also had information that the surrender of "some of the lesser leaders not caught in the Royal Bhutan Army dragnet" was in the offing. "Those under interrogation were co-operative yet psychologically broken down and were singing like birds in a canary," he added.

None of the 13 militants claimed to have been captured by the Royal Bhutan Army has so far been handed over to the local police authorities. "There is little doubt that with five of the top brass now in police custody, the KLO outfit has received a body blow from which it will not be easy to recover," Mr. Singh said.

"The outcome of the offensive launched against the insurgents in Bhutan was very, very positive as was the reaction of the general public of this region to the news."

Over the past year, 17 KLO militants have been killed in encounters with the local police and security forces while another 78 have either been arrested or have surrendered.

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