1 killed in Assam blast ahead of PM’s visit

25 May 2017: ULFA (I) CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY; ASSAM ON HIGH ALERT
One person was killed in an explosion in Dibrugarh district of Assam Thursday ahead of by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to inaugurate a 9.15 kilometre-long bridge over the Brahmaputra river.
The blast took place at a pipeline of Oil India Limited at Dikom in Dibrugarh district. Dikam is located about 80 km away from the Dhala-Sadiya bridge, which will be inaugurated by Modi on Friday.
While the police claimed that the blast took place due to pressure in a pipeline and that there was no involvement of any militants, the anti-talk faction of ULFA militants reportedly claimed responsibility for the explosion. The banned United Liberation Front of Asom – Independent (ULFA-I) outfit has claimed responsibility for the blast Thursday at an oil pipeline at Dikom village in Dibrugarh district of Assam.

A body, which was torn into pieces, was found near the place of blast. Unconfirmed sources have claimed that the body is of ULFA (I) member Palash Asom.

In an email sent to media houses, Arunoday Asom, the publicity secretary of the insurgent group, accepted the responsibility for the oil pipeline blast.

Meanwhile, security in Guwahati and parts of upper Assam has been tightened ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s daylong visit to the state on Friday amid intelligence reports that a separatist outfit may carry out attacks at important installations in the state. Police said intelligence reports have said a team of armed ULFA (I) cadres has entered Assam from Myanmar recently.

“It is likely that the ULFA-I is planning attacks to coincide with PM’s visit. Security across Assam including Guwahati has been increased,” Assam’s ADGP Pallab Bhattacharya told journalists.

Modi will inaugurate India’s longest bridge connecting Dhola and Sadiya located on the south banks of Brahmaputra. At 9.15km, the bridge is significantly longer than the 5.6km Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai. The PM will also lay the foundation stones of units of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) near Guwahati and Gogamukh in Dhemaji.
To mark the completion of three years of the NDA government at the Centre and one year of the first BJP-led government in Assam, Modi will address the nation from Guwahati before departing for New Delhi.

“It a matter of pride and honour for the people of Assam that the Prime Minister will address the nation from our state. We express heartfelt thanks for his gesture,” Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal said on Wednesday.

The Assam police issued an alert on May 24, saying that a team of ULFA (I) led by Padum Deka Rajbongshi was trying to cross over to Assam from Nagaland to carry out disruptive activities ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state.

The sources in Assam police, however, said that the blast could be an attempt to steal oil from the pipeline.

Source: http://www.nagalandpost.com