Rapid action Battalion (RAB) has detected two more bunkers in the deep forest at Chunarughat in Habiganj, an official of RAB-9 said.The RAB official, Sana Shamimur Rahman, told The New Nation yesterday that they suspect there might be more arms and ammunition in the hidden bunkers.He said, they are still digging the holes in the suspected areas of the forest, and the drive will continue for some more days, if needed. The arms and ammunition, which were recovered in the first two days of the drive on Tuesday and Wednesday, were taken to Dhaka for tests, said ATM Habibur Rahamn, Director of Media and Legal Wing of the RAB Headquarters. He said they will be able to say whether these arms and the ammunition are still fit for use or not after the tests. The RAB suspect that the Indian separatist groups, including National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), might have link with the stocking of arms, as the separatist groups had used the bordering forest areas for shelter as well as training camps in the past.The reserve forest is about three kilometres from the Indian state of Tripura. Locals said some people living in the deep forest might have link with the storage of illegal arms and ammunition. If they come under arrest and interrogated, the mystery will be unveiled, they said. However, the RAB officials said they are trying to nab those involved with the stocking of arms and ammunition. State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said that the criminals responsible for the huge arms stockpiling must be punished. Investigations are going on to find out the criminals and stern action will be taken against them, he said. Meanwhile, the villagers, who left their homes following the recovery of huge cache of illegal arms and ammunition from Satchhari deep forest, are scared to return as a panic situation is still prevailing there. The male people of the area left their homes just after the operation began on Tuesday by the elite force, while the female members of their families are not coming out of their houses out of fear. The correspondent found at least 40 tribal families in the area where no male members are now staying. The female members and the children of the tribal families are also reluctant to talk with the media people due to panic. The RAB recovered around 200 rocket launchers and 200 mortar shells, in addition to machine guns and huge quantities of ammunition, from the bunkers on Tuesday and Wednesday. Members of the elite force continued their hunt for arms and ammunition in the deep forest for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday.
