Guwahati: Clueless about the Ulfa-I cadres who planted bombs across Assam during the Independence Day celebrations on Thursday, the state police on Friday announced reward of Rs. five lakh for those providing credible information for investigation into the case.
Seeking public co-operation for investigation into the case, police said those providing information about those who made the bombs and helped in transportion and planting the bombs would be given the cash reward. Police also shared a WhatsApp number and details of social media handles for sharing the information.
The step was taken amid criticism by the Opposition parties for its failure to make any arrest in the case.
Congress said planting of the bombs in several vital places including in the state capital Guwahati despite claims of tight security for the Indepence Day celebrations suggested failure of the state police and Chief Minister Himanat Biswa Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio.
The party asked how the insurgents managed to plant bombs in 24 places when the state police claimed that elaborate security arrangements were made for peaceful celebrations of the I-Day.
"This also proved CM Sarma wrong about his frequent claims that insurgency has been solved with the signing of several agreements since 2021 when he assumed the charge of the Chief MInister," a Congress leader said.
CM's resignation
Akhil Gogoi, an MLA representing Sivasagar constituency and chief of Raijor Dal, a regional opposition party, demanded Sarma's resignation over the incident. "Our only demand is that the CM should take responsibility and resign immediately. The BJP government and the state police have failed and the only remedy is CM's resignation. BJP's slogan was to make Assam free from insurgency and CM often claims that there is no insurgency activities in Assam now. But Ulfa's ability to plant bombs proved their claim hollow," Gogoi told reporters.
On Friday, police continued their search for bombs in some of the places mentioned by Ulfa-I. Police said some of the "IED-like objects" found in some of the places were sent for forensic analysis. Police on Friday summoned a few former cadres of Ulfa in Nagaon district for questioning but none was arrested yet.
Ulfa-I on Thursday morning issued an email statement to media organisations claiming that they planted bombs in at least 24 places but could not be exploded due to "technical glitches." The outfit sought people's cooperation till the bombs were removed and diffused. It said the bombs were meant for explosion between 6am and 12 noon in order to register "armed protests" against Independence Day celebrations. This caused panic among people with the security forces carrying out searches till late in the evening on Thursday.
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. CM sarma on Thursday once again appealed to Baruah to come forward for talks.