Panic in Assam on Independence Day after Ulfa-I's 'bombs planted' claim, 'suspicious objects' recovered
Guwahati: Panic gripped Assam and security forces went into a tizzy after Ulfa-Independent, a banned insurgent group, claimed on Thursday morning that it planted bombs at 24 locations including in the state capital Guwahati but those could not be "exploded on time due to technical glitches."
In an email to DH at around 11.15am, Ulfa-I said the bombs were meant for explosion between 6am and 12 noon in order to register "armed protest" to the Independence Day celebrations. One of the places mentioned in the outfit's statement is close to the state secretariat and Chief Minister's Office.
The email statement was issued soon after CM Himanta Biswa Sarma hoisted the tricolor in Guwahati. The outfit sought people's "cooperation" till the bombs were recovered and diffused.
Police and other security forces swung into action in search of the bombs in all the places mentioned by the outfit and recovered "suspicious objects" at several places.
Director general of police, GP Singh said "suspicious articles" were found at two places in Guwahati and in Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Nalbari and Nagaon districts and were sent for forensic examinations.
One of the places in Assam where a bomb was planted.
Credit: Ulfa-I
CM's appeal to Ulfa-I chief
Reacting to the outfit's claim, CM Sarma sent out a message to the outfit's chief Paresh Baruah saying it should not disturb the new path of development in the state.
"After several decades of disturbance, Assam is on the path of development. Many business groups including the Tata Group have come forward for investments. I want to appeal to Paresh Baruh that there is no need to create an atmosphere that can disturb the investment possibilities in the state. There are 14 lakh unemployed youths, who are looking for jobs. If there is no industry in Assam, they will be compelled to go out to Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and work as security guards," he told reporters after the Ulfa-I's statement.
Ulfa was formed in 1979 with a demand for "sovereign Assam." One faction led by former chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa signed an agreement with the government a few months ago. But the faction, named as Ulfa-I, led by Paresh Baruah is yet to join the peace process.
Ulfa used to carry out explosions during Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations in the past but the outfit failed to do so in the past few years due to improvement in the state's security situation. Security experts believe that this could be an attempt by the banned outfit to make its presence felt as most of the insurgent groups signed agreements with the government and joined the mainstream.