Sunday, December 11 2005 14:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dhaka: Bangladesh police said today (Dec 11, 2005) they have arrested one of the most wanted leaders of a separatist group operating in Tripura after he entered the country via the northeast border.

"Nayanbasi was arrested in the hilly areas in Komolganj sub district," a senior police officer told sources, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Nayanbasi claimed himself to be an Indian rebel group leader," he said, adding he was being interrogated by police and intelligence officers.

Another police officer identified the arrested man as Nayanbasi Jamatia, who uses two aliases, Nagbar Tripura and Najayet Deb Barma.

Quoting intelligence sources, the Bengali daily newspaper Amar Desh said today that Jamatia is a leader in the National Liberation Front of Tripura (Nayanbasi), a separatist group in the northeast Indian state.

He is one of the 'most wanted' Indian separatist leaders, the newspaper said.