Guwahati, Jan 29 (TIWN) A total of 246 militants from two outfits surrendered before Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday and deposited a large cache of arms and ammunition at a function held here.

Welcoming the surrendered extremists, Sarma said that his government has been focusing on peace and growth in the state and today's surrender would go a long way in putting Assam on the road to further development.  Officials said that 169 cadres of the United Gorkha Peoples Organisation (UGPO) and 77 members of the Tiwa Liberation Army (TLA) surrendered at a function held at the international auditorium of Srimanta Sankardev Kalashetra at Panjabari in Guwahati.  According to a senior police officer, the surrendered cadres of UGPO, which was formed in 2007, belong to Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Kamrup (Rural), Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Udalguri and Sonitpur districts.  The officer said that 77 TLA cadres belonging to Morigaon, Nagaon, West Karbi Anglong, Kamrup (Metro) and Karbi Anglong districts also surrendered enmasse.