The government in India's northeastern province of Assam has offered a general amnesty to separatists who lay down arms and surrender before authorities by month-end, Indo-Asian News Service reported.

The offer of general amnesty will continue till April 30 and be applicable to four outlawed rebel armies - the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), the United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and the Dima Haolam Daoga (DHD).

"The offer for amnesty has been notified on Monday keeping in mind the advent of Bihu, the Assamese New Year. Anybody who surrenders during the amnesty period will be pardoned of their previous offences and charges pending against them," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said.

A similar amnesty offer last year received a positive response with nearly 1,000 rebels surrendering before authorities.

The amnesty offer comes at a time when militants of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) had carried out a string of explosions in Assam targeting security personnel, government installations and crude oil pipelines.

A police spokesperson said that in the past three weeks the ULFA had carried out at least 40 powerful explosions and grenade attacks killing five people and wounding 70 more.

The ULFA is a rebel group fighting for an independent Assamese homeland since 1979.

The ULFA has, of late, offered to hold peace talks with New Delhi if the government agrees to discuss their main demand of sovereignty or independence. New Delhi is yet to respond to ULFA's precondition for talks.

Source: Xinhua