In Assam’s Dhemaji district, family members of national-level kickboxer Sabita Chetia are anxiously awaiting her return. “We don’t know where she is. I request my elder sister: please, come back,” Sabita’s sister said.

No different is the scene in the house of another national-level kickboxer, Nayanmoni Chetia, in Assam’s Tinsukia district. “She said she is going for a kickboxing tournament with other girls,” Nayanmoni Chetia’s brother said. Nayanmoni Chetia’s husband works in the Assam Police and they have a 5-year-old son.

Five women, including these two kickboxers, are reported to have joined the United Liberation Front of AsomIndependent (ULFA-I). The banned militant outfit recently extended its unilateral ceasefire for another three months, but continues its recruitment drive.

Nayanmoni Chetia and Sabita Chetia had won medals in the past.

Another woman was identified as Sarmistha Saikia of Lakhimpur district. The two other women are said to be from Majuli and Marigaon districts. Family members said the women had been missing for 10 days and they have lodged complaints with the police.

After a video of the five women trekking inside a forest surfaced on social media, it was speculated they might be heading to Myanmar for training in ULFA-I camps. On November 13, ULFA-I sent an email to the media and said it’s normal for a few women to join the outfit.

Sabita had started to play kickboxing after doing Class 12 in science and had gone for 10-15 days to participate in kickboxing events earlier as well. “We have seen the video, but we hope that she will return. She will get the same respect. We will support her in her sporting pursuits,” Sabita’s sister said.

WHAT THE POLICE SAY

Hiren Nath, Additional Director General of Police (Special Branch), told India Today that three among the five women have been identified but it is yet to be confirmed if they have joined ULFA-I.

“We have been trying to trace their locations. Their mobile phones are switched off. ULFA-I is continuing its recruitment drive. Recently, we apprehended 10 young men in Upper Assam. They were going for training in ULFA-I camps. We have also counselled 25 others who tried to join the outfit,” Hiren Nath said.

“We’re closely monitoring ULFA-I’s recruitment drive and also monitoring social media platforms,” he said.

In October this year, three youths from Tinsukia district in Upper Assam went missing and were suspected of joining ULFA-I.

According to the Assam police, most of ULFA-I cadres are in its Myanmar-based camps.