Banned outfit ULFA(I) claims to have planted 24 explosives across Assam, police seize 'bomb-like substances'

Guwahati: Police have unearthed "bomb-like substances" from at least eight places, including two in Guwahati after the banned ULFA (I) on Thursday claimed to have planted bombs in 24 locations to trigger serial blasts across Assam on Independence Day, officials said.

In an email purportedly from the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) to media houses, including PTI, the terror outfit asserted that the bombs did not explode due to "technical failure".

ULFA said the blasts were scheduled to take place between 6 am and noon on Thursday but after failure in execution, it sought public cooperation for defusing the explosive devices.

The banned outfit gave out a list identifying the exact locations of 19 bombs with photographs but could not pinpoint the remaining five spots.

The email, which was sent minutes after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma completed his speech on the occasion of 78th Independence Day, prompted the security forces to send multiple teams to all the places mentioned by ULFA (I) to look for explosives along with bomb disposal squads assisted by other central security forces, including the Army.

The entire development has put a big question mark on the efficacy of the intelligence wing as police had no clue on the existence of the bombs until ULFA (I) itself informed about these, despite the entire state being on high alert on the occasion of Independence Day celebrations.

As soon as the news broke, it brought back the horror of the 2008 serial bomb blasts into public memory. NDFB's Ranjan Daimary faction had carried out the serial bomb blasts across Assam on October 30, 2008, that claimed the lives of 88 persons and left more than 500 people injured.

"Assam Police have carried out extensive searches throughout the state today for explosive devices. At two places in Guwahati, suspicious articles were found which were opened by the Bomb Disposal Squad of Police," DGP G P Singh said in a post on X.

These articles did not have an ignition device inside though some circuits and batteries were seen, and the substance inside has been sent for forensic and chemical examination, he added.

"Similar articles have been seen at Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Nalbari & Nagaon which have been safely disposed of. In this connection, appropriate lawful investigation has been initiated," Singh said.

Out of the 24 locations, eight are in Guwahati. These include an open field at Last Gate in Dispur, near the official residences of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other ministers.

Another place is Satgaon Road towards Narengi Army Cantonment in Guwahati. Apart from these, Ashram Road near Gandhi Mandap, Panbazar, Jorabat, Bhetapara, Maligaon and Rajgarh in the capital city have also been mentioned as the spots of bombs.

Places have been named in Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Nalbari, Tamulpur, Tinsukia and Golaghat districts also where ULFA (I) claimed to have planted bombs.

When contacted, a senior officer at Assam Police headquarters told PTI that all the SPs of the districts, especially those mentioned in the list by the anti-peace talk faction of ULFA, have been alerted and asked to carry out a thorough search of the areas.

"Bomb disposal squads, metal detectors and sniffer dogs have been dispatched to every location. So far, we have got information of recovery of around eight bags and boxes containing bomb-like substances but none of them carried any triggering devices," he added.

Police have so far recovered two packets each from Guwahati, Sivasagar and Lakhimpur, while one each was found in Nagaon and Nalbari, the official said.

After the recovery at Ashram Road near Gandhi Mandap and Panbazar in the state capital, Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah said the two packets contained bomb circuits and some explosive-like materials.

"However, no detonating mechanism was present. We have sent the materials to the forensic department to ascertain the nature of the explosives. Nothing was found in the remaining six locations," he told reporters here.

Sivasagar Additional Superintendent of Police Moidul Islam said they found two suspected items in two deserted vehicles near the DTO office and ONGC establishment and kept those covered with bomb blankets.

"The bomb disposal squad is coming to examine those. After that we will be confirmed if those are IEDs or not," he added. A senior police official in Lakhimpur said that bomb-like devices were seized from an abandoned truck at Hatilung and at Laluk market in front of the Inspection Bungalow.

"The Hatilung device is a complete IED with a detonating device. We have successfully defused it," he added. Similar items were recovered from an old ambulance in Nalbari and one location near Barghat area in Nagaon as well, senior officials said.

Police have closed all roads in and around the places mentioned in the mail. Senior police officials rushed to all the places and are monitoring the search operations.

While ULFA mentioned the exact locations of 19 bombs, it could not pinpoint two places each in Tinsukia and Golaghat and one in Dibrugarh.