Barpeta: Two ULFA activists involved in bomb blasts and extortion activities in Guwahati have been arrested and a huge cache of arms and explosives recovered from them in lower Assam's Barpeta district.

District Superintendent of Police Deuraj Upadhay told PTI that during routine patrolling, a joint team of police and army, three Kumaon regiment spotted two youths yesterday at Kumargaon and enquired about their identity. On local villagers failing to recognise them despite their claims that they hailed from the hamlet, Upadhay said the two on investigation admitted they were from ULFA and led the security team to their hidden arms.

Two programmable time devices (PTD), electronic detonators, a Chinese-make hand grenade, a 9-mm Italian-make pistol, magazines, two rounds of bullets, besides cycles, were recovered from the houses of two persons identified as Deepak Majumdar of Kumargaon and Santano Boro of Uttarbag.

The two PTDs were to be planted on August 15 but the ultras could not do so due to police domination, the SP said.

The two extremists were identified as Chandra Deuri and Bipul Sarania of the ULFA's 709 battalion active in lower Assam and were in the district under the direction of their leader Hira Sarania.

Upadhay also said police on receiving specific information about ULFA insurgents entering Barpeta and mingling among the local people in disguise had intensified patrolling in the district.

Meanwhile, a search operation was on for absconding Deepak Majumdar and Santano Boro, he added.