[3] Mahanta was a student of Guwahati's renowned Cotton Collegiate Government High School, and obtained a Bachelor of Science in physics from Gauhati University.
[4] Mahanta completed his militancy training in Kachin, Myanmar with ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, and they returned to Assam in 1984.
A huge team of the army moved quickly, nabbing one of Mahanta's security guards, Moon Ali, from a hotel in Guwahati's Fancy Bazaar.
Moon Ali's detention led the army to the house of Nripen Baruah in the Geetanagar area, where Mahanta and his two other security guards were taking shelter.
Though his death occurred in the police station, most of the newspapers argue that uncompromising Mahanta was killed by Army as he refused to relent even after being caught.