Jiban Singha Koch surrendered in the Longwa region in Mon district last Friday.
In a significant development, Jiban Singha Koch, the self-styled chief of the terrorist group Kamatapur Liberation Organisation or KLO, has surrendered near the Indo-Myanmar border. According to police sources, Jeevan Singha is likely to join peace talks with the Centre.
Jiban Singha Koch and nine-member of his group surrendered before security forces in the Longwa region in Mon district last Friday, sources added.
Many senior members of KLO have surrendered in the past.
In 2022, Kailash Koch, the second most important leader of the organisation, and his wife surrendered before the police in Kolkata.
After their surrender, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma invited the outfit to join the peace talks with the government.
Largely active in Western Assam and northern Bengal, the KLO has been demanding a separate Kamatapur state.
Jiban Singha Koch formed the group in 1995, three years after he graduated from Siliguri College.
After the formation of the group, they started demanding a separate state with parts of Cooch Behar, Malda, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Jalpaiguri districts, as well as stretches of Assam.
This has a political significance since several top civil society leaders and organisation of the Koch Rajbonshi community of North Bengal and lower Assam had supported the BJP in last assembly polls in Bengal and Assam.