Key Ulfa-I Leader Arunodoi Dahotia Surrenders: Boost to Peace Prospects in Assam

Senior United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (Ulfa-I) leader Arunodoi Dahotia has surrendered to authorities in a remote part of Arunachal Pradesh near the India-Myanmar border.

Dahotia, also known as Arunodoi Asom or Bijit Gogoi, served as the finance secretary for Ulfa-I and was once a trusted associate of chief Paresh Baruah.

He joined Ulfa-I in 2002, becoming a central figure in the group’s operations across eastern Assam, and was connected to various insurgency cases.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) charged Dahotia in several militant incidents, including the 2018 killing of Assam Police officer Bhaskar Kalita in Tinsukia.

Dahotia was also allegedly involved in extortion and other armed activities, and his surrender is considered a significant blow to the group’s underground operations.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that meaningful peace talks with Ulfa-I can only proceed if leader Paresh Baruah is involved.

After his surrender, Dahotia remains in custody in Tinsukia and may be transferred to Guwahati for legal procedures, but authorities have no plans to move him outside Assam.

The surrender echoes previous high-profile Ulfa-I surrenders, notably that of Drishti Rajkhowa (109th battalion head) in 2019, indicating the gradual weakening of Ulfa-I’s operational strength.

Ulfa-I mobilized in the 1980s during the Assam Movement, and currently operates mainly from bases near the India–Myanmar border, with Paresh Baruah as the decisive authority.

Experts believe Dahotia’s surrender could help advance peace in the region, reduce militant violence, and support Assam’s long-term efforts to resolve the insurgency.