July 22, 2021: Binod Mushahary alias M Batha along with around 60 of his NLFB cadres surrendered today in Udalguri, Assam. Batha was among the 1,615 Bodo militants who had surrendered in 2020. But after a few months, he and his followers went back to the jungles and Batha formed the National Liberation Front of Bodoland (NLFB). He and his cadres were reported to be hiding in Arunachal Pradesh. 

Born in Daloabari in Kokrajhar, Batha had returned home after 25 years when he along with the other NDFB leaders and cadres had surrendered in 2020. He was given a grand, emotional welcome.

In his first stint as a militant, Batha was leading the NDFB (S) faction as its deputy chief. He was also the agriculture secretary of NDFB-S, the faction headed by B Saoraigwra.

Batha is known for his bomb making and bomb planting skills and his skills as a sharp-shooter.

Details about his new outfit, NLFB emerged in February this year following the recovery of a large cache of arms meant for NLFB. In a statement issued in March, the outfit had stated that formation of a separate state of Bodoland for people from the Bodo tribe was their main goal. The NIA registered a case against the outfit in May this year and is probing their activities.

The NIA had announced a Rs 10 lakh bounty on Batha.

Batha, as a former NDFB leader had been operating from the dense jungles of Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the “homecoming”.