ULFA-I Planning An Attack Before Independence Day: Assam Top Cop

Assam DGP GP Singh said on Saturday that a unit of United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) active along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border is making plans to launch an attack in the region before Independence Day.

The DGP has been camping in the Upper Assam area, believed to be a stronghold of ULFA-I, for the last four days.

“We have intelligence input that ULFA-I has been planning to launch an attack to disrupt the Independence Day celebrations in Assam. A unit of the outlawed group is active along the interstate border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. However, the state police, army and other paramilitary forces are prepared to neutralise the ULFA-I cadres,” the DGP told media persons on Saturday.

According to the top cop, both the state and Central governments are taking a cautious approach to foil any probable attack by the banned militant outfit.

“Security measures have been tightened in many areas. We are looking into all aspects,” Mr Singh added.

In 2004, a bomb blast during an Independence Day parade at the Dhemaji College ground in Assam left at least 18 people dead and numerous others injured. The police claimed that the explosive placed close to the college gate was set off by a remote-controlled device. The blast occurred when teachers and children from different schools were passing through the gate.

After the blast, the locals attacked police vehicles near the college, forcing the cops to resort to lathi charge firing of tear gas shells.

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