Guwahati, Nov 9 - A dawn-to-dusk general strike enforced by the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) Monday brought normal life to a halt in Assam.

The ULFA has called the 12-hour shutdown, which began at 6 a. m., demanding the release of two of their arrested leaders - 'foreign secretary' Sasha Choudhury and 'finance secretary' Chitraban Hazarika.

Shops, businesses and educational institutions remained closed, while most public and private transport kept off the roads.

The two ULFA leaders were sent to 10-days police remand by a court here Saturday after Assam police claimed they surrendered before Border Security Force personnel in Tripura Friday.

The duo, who were based in Dhaka, however, denied surrendering before authorities.

There were earlier reports that the two were arrested by Bangladesh police who in turn handed them over to Indian authorities in Dhaka Nov 2. They were then brought to the border outpost in Tripura.  (IANS)