Shillong, Nov 12 (IANS): Drishti Rajkhowa, the second-in-command of the outlawed ULFA(I) after the outfit's chief Paresh Baruah, and four other top cadres of the group have surrendered to the Meghalaya Police on Wednesday, the police said.

"Rajkhowa surrendered to the police in South Garo Hills district. He is now being interrogated," district police chief P. Pandey told IANS late on Wednesday night but refused to give further details.

Another senior police officer said that four other ULFA (I) guerillas along with Rajkhowa have surrendered to the Meghalaya Police.

He said that the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) leader Rajkhowa and his cadres were forced to surrender after a 30-minute fierce encounter. They are now being brought to Assam.

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Some sophisticated arms and ammunition, including AK series rifles, were recovered from the militants.

Rajkhowa, 50, who is a close confidant of ULFA (I) supremo Paresh Baruah, was in Bangladesh until recently and had come to Meghalaya last month.

The ULFA (I), which was banned by the government in 1990, has been demanding an independent state of Assam. Rajkhowa had been suspected to be a part of a shootout with a police team at Bolbokgre village in South Garo Hills in Meghalaya in March.