New Delhi, December 06 2009: ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa did not surrender with his aides and family.

It's reliably learnt that he was actually lured into a trap while trying to escape from Cox's Bazaar near Chittagong in Bangladesh.

In a planned intelligence operation handled at the highest levels in the government, the first inputs about Rajkhowa's plans to escape from Bangladesh came soon after the "surrender" of ULFA finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika and foreign secretary Shashadhar Chowdhury in November first week.

A rattled Rajkhowa, sources said, had realised that the heat was growing on ULFA members in Bangladesh and that it was not safe for him or his family to continue staying there.

He is believed to have then been in touch with Mukul Hazarika of Assam Watch, who is based in London.

While it is not clear with whom Hazarika then got in touch, sources said Rajkhowa was ultimately put on to some local Bangladeshi contacts to make good his escape.

Under constant monitoring since then, Indian intelligence agencies gathered that the plan was to get Rajkhowa along with aides Raju Barua, Raja Bora and their families and the wife and daughter of Shashadhar Chowdhury to cross over into Myanmar.

From there, ends had been tied up for the group to be taken to Bangkok where they would reassess matters.

The escape effort included a long bus ride from Cox's Bazaar to the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

It is here where agencies involved in the operation decided to intervene and have someone impersonate as a representative of Rajkhowa's local contact.

This worked out and a person contacted Rajkhowa's group just before they were to board a public transport bus as instructed by their local contacts.

Pretending to be someone who had been sent by the contact, the impersonator told them that there has been a change in plan for the better and the group did not have to undertake the arduous journey by bus because "Toyota vehicles" had been arranged.

It's learnt that Rajkhowa and his aides did initially suspect foul play but were convinced by the impersonator who then brought them to the vehicles.

But before boarding the vehicles, Rajkhowa had doubts and seemed to backtrack after consultations with his aides.

At this point, sources said, other members of the operation joined in and overpowered Rajkhowa and others, put them in the vehicles and drove away.

Thereafter, sources said, a decision was made not to hold the group any longer in Bangladesh and they were taken on a long drive to the Indo-Bangladesh border post in Meghalaya where they were handed over to BSF authorities.

From here, they were taken to Guwahati.

Rajkhowa and others have been in custody since December 2 .

Intelligence agencies believe there are strong indications that the local contacts helping Rajkhowa were doing so at the behest of Pakistan intelligence operatives.

While this is still not confirmed, sources pointed out that ULFA cadre have been in touch with Pakistani agents in the past.

The success of the cooperation comes in the wake of improved cooperation between India and the Sheikh Hasina government on not letting Bangladesh soil be used by groups inimical to Indian interests.

Rajkhowa and many other key ULFA leaders had taken refuge in Bangladesh during the Khaleda Zia government.

Indian efforts in the past like offering safe passage to Paresh Barua and Rajkhowa for talks under the condition that they give up violence did not draw a favourable response.

Now that these men have been picked up, the Centre is keen that trial proceedings should continue.

While there is speculation that the state government may be more open to the idea of talks, security agencies believe that any such move can only happen if Rajkhowa fully agrees to cooperate in bringing in other ULFA members.

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