Kokrajhar (Assam): Militant outfit Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) will be formally disbanded today (Dec 06, 2003) after an arms laying ceremony on the occasion of the creation of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) at the KDSA ground in Assam.

Altogether 2623 cadres, along with huge quantities of arms and ammunition, including rocket launchers and AK-series rifles, will surrender before Union Minister of State for Home Swami Chinmayananda, Assam Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Ajai Singh and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

The surrender will mark the end of years of armed struggle by the BLT since its inception on Aug 18, 1996 and the consequent negotiations with the central and Assam governments leading to the signing of the MoU for the creation of the BTC.

The cadres are now housed in a camp and are being "politically coached" by intellectuals, MPs and MLAs to enable them to work in a constructive manner when they return to the mainstream, BLT sources said.

PTI