Asem Bhakta Singh, Special Correspondent North East
Delhi: (Waari Singbul Network) In the riveting pages of “The Mirage of Dawn,” author Rajeev Bhattacharyya unravels a complex web of clandestine activities that shaped the dynamics of insurgency in India’s Northeast. Lt Gen Asfaq Pervez Kayani’s historic encounter with ULFA functionaries during their training in Pakistan sets the stage for a narrative spanning years of strategic maneuvers.
Between 1996-2004, the book details the training of rebel groups like NDFB, PLA, and ATTF in Pakistan, delving into the intricacies of bomb assembly using sophisticated technology. The narrative unveils a clandestine journey, including a ULFA batch’s training in Tora Bora, Afghanistan, with modules varying in duration.
Pages 266-282 provide a gripping account of Bhutan King Jigme Sinye Wangchuk’s visits to ULFA and NDFB camps, preceding Operation All Clear in 2003, which marked the eradication of rebel camps in the country.
The author sheds light on ULFA (Independent) supremo Paresh Baruah’s imprisonment in Bangladesh in 1993, revealing a compelling tale of sophisticated weapons, a hunger strike, and unconditional release.
Further, the book explores the intriguing detention of NDFB’s Ranjan Daimary in Dhaka in 2000, offering insights into his brief internment after the serial blasts in Assam in 2008.
In a shocking revelation on pages 337-341, a former director general of Assam Police’s involvement in a plot to assassinate editor Anil Mazumdar surfaces. The story unfolds with hired SULFA activists, multiple attempts, and a subsequent CBI investigation.
The narrative takes an unexpected turn on pages 240-241, 343-346, exposing ULFA’s weapon consignments to CPI (Maoist), creating a nexus that adds complexity to the region’s insurgent landscape.
The book concludes with a dramatic account of ULFA (Independent) Supremo Paresh Baruah’s survival through four assassination attempts in Bangladesh, revealing the intricate interplay between Indian security forces and the insurgent leader.
“The Mirage of Dawn” is a compelling exploration of the covert operations, geopolitical alliances, and power struggles that have shaped the volatile landscape of India’s Northeast.
