From Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills district, a top leader of the Assam-based extremist group, the National Liberation Front of Bodoland (NLFB) was arrested by the Meghalaya Police on Wednesday.

Jotish Daimary (42) was arrested from Amlarem area in West Jaiñtia Hills district by the Meghalaya police based on specific information.  

Three smart phones and three keypad phones were seized from him along with a vehicle bearing registration number AS-01 AE 4845 and few documents.

Daimary was a former member of the disbanded National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and he surrendered arms in January 2020, after the Centre signed the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) pact with four factions of the NDFB and the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU).

Jotish had joined the NDFB in 2009 and headed for arms training in Bangladesh via Mahendranj area in Meghalaya’s South West Garo Hills district.

A police official stated, “We are interrogating him to find out about his movement and associates in Meghalaya,”. Daimary was wanted criminal booked booked under several cases of kidnapping, murder and other criminal activities in East, West Jaintia Hills and also Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya.

“Daimary has been handed to Ri-Bhoi police in connection with criminal cases registered against him,” police official said. 

According to a senior police official, the apprehended NLFB leader was heading to the international border to “strike an arms deal”.