Former militant leader Zaiba Reang found dead in Cachar, Police suspect murder

Eight days after he went missing, the police recovered the decomposed body of former militant leader Zaiba Reang from the deep forest of East Dholai in Cachar district. In the presence of Magistrate Vikas Chhetri, the police recovered the dead body of Zaiba Reang from the deep forest of Harharikhal adjacent to Anandakhal in East Dholai. Notably, Zaiba Reang, son of Upendra Reang residing in Hatikhal Reang Punji located in Moniyarkhal GP of East Dholai, went missing on March 24 at four o’clock in the afternoon after going to the hills to collect vegetables from the forest.

After his mysterious disappearance, Zaiba Reang’s father filed a case at Amraghat Police Outpost. In a search operation yesterday, the police recovered the decomposed body of Zaiba Reang from the deep forest of Harharikhal near Anandakhal in Dholai. It is suspected that the former militant leader was murdered in the jungle. Police investigation into the incident is ongoing.

It maybe mentioned that Zaiba Reang was an active member of the Reang militant group named “Bru Revolutionary Army of Union” led by Rajesh Charki. Zaiba Reang alongwith the supremo of the Bru Revolutionary Army of Union (BRAU) Rajesh Charki surrendered in December last year at an arms laying ceremony held at Katlicherra in Hailakandi district. The self styled militant organisation was formed in 2014 with demands for the improvement of Riang (Bru) tribes living in different bordering areas of Assam. The arms laying ceremony was attended by Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary and Water Resources Minister Piyush Hazarika as chief guests.