Representative image of Assam police
Credit: PTI Photo
Guwahati: Confusion over security arrangements prevailed in Assam during the Republic Day celebrations on Sunday after a loud sound triggered panic near a market in Guwahati, following which insurgent group Ulfa-I, claimed that it carried out IED explosions as a "token" protest.
Police, however, refused to accept Ulfa group's claim and said investigation was underway to ascertain the exact cause of the explosion.
A loud sound near a vegetable market at Beharbari area in Guwahati created panic among locals who gathered to hoist the tricolour for Republic Day celebrations. The incident took place at around 7.45am. Police rushed to the spot but remained clueless whether its a bomb blast as claimed by the insurgent group.
At around 10.50 am, Ulfa-I purportedly issued an email statement to media organisations, in which it claimed that it planted IEDs at several places in Guwahati including at Beharbari and Lalmati. Stating that causing harm to the innocent people was not their motif behind the explosions, the statement said Guwahati being lifeline of Assam, a message was sent to the people without any harm so that they refrain from participating in the Independence Day and Republic Day programmes in the coming days.
Reacting to this, Guwahati police commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta said investigation was underway to verify the claim made by the banned outfit.
On Saturday, Ulfa issued its customary call to boycott the Republic Day celebrations.
The Ulfa-I had similarly planted bombs at several places across Assam including Guwahati on Augist 15 to register its "protest" against the Independence Day celebrations. The bombs were, however, not exploded. Several persons were arrested and explosives recovered. The case was later handed over to the NIA.
Formed in 1979 with a demand for "sovereign Assam," Ulfa-I has now remained the only banend insurgent group out of the peace process in Assam. The group has rejected the government's calls to join peace process without discussion on its core demand.