7 explosions break R-Day calm in Assam

Posted on January 27, 2017 0 Comments1,440

Tinsukia, Jan. 26, 2017: Ulfa (Independent) today made mockery of the foolproof security claim by forces to ensure peaceful
Republic Day celebrations in Assam by triggering seven IED explosions in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo and Sivasagar districts.

The Paresh Barua-led Ulfa (I) claimed responsibility of the blasts saying it was a “symbolic” protest against exploitation of Assam by “colonial forces” in Delhi.

Sources said while three blasts rocked Sivasagar district, two blasts occurred in Charideo district, while one each were triggered in
Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts.

All the blasts took place in Upper Assam, especially in districts where Dispur was keeping tight vigil. Assam director-general of police

Mukesh Sahay had toured Upper Assam holding meetings with stakeholders to ensure Republic Day passed off without any untoward incident.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said those who triggered the serial blasts will be brought to justice at the earliest. “I strongly

condemn the blasts in Upper Assam today; the perpetrators will be brought to justice at the earliest,” Sonowal tweeted.

“It is condemnable. It was an act of those who do not want peace and stability,” he told reporters after attending the Republic Day function in Guwahati. Sonowal said his government will remain firm against any terrorist activity and urged people to stand united against terrorism.

Earlier, he paid floral tributes to martyrs at Shraddhanjali Kanan.

Sahay told The Telegraph that the “six low-intensity blasts” in Upper Assam were triggered by Ulfa (I) to create fear psychosis among the people. He said the blasts took place in isolated and uninhabited places like paddy fields and ponds and there was no loss of life and property.

“Despite the blasts people in large numbers took part in the Republic Day celebrations,” Sahay said. He said police have launched
investigation to identify and apprehend those behind the blasts.

Assam special director-general of police (law and order) Kuladhar Saikia said the blasts were a desperate attempt by Ulfa (I) to prove its existence.

The blasts took place in a period of 100 minutes soon after Republic  Day celebrations started at different venues this morning. One blast took place barely 500 metres from the parade ground in Dibrugarh’s Chowkidinghee at 9am. Five minutes later, another blast was triggered barely 100 metres from the Dhola-Sadiya bridge in Tinsukia district, which is scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April.

The first explosion took place at 7.30am at Lengribar in Charaideo district followed by another at a tea garden at Panibor in Charaideo  district five minutes later. It was followed by another at Santak in Bihubar in Sivasagar district. The fourth blast took place near a petrol pump at Bihubar at 8am while the fifth occurred 15 minutes later near the entrance to a forest office in Bihubar. Sources said a threat was also issued over phone to Sonari police station.

Former chief minister Tarun Gogoi took a dig at the state government saying the blasts were a reflection of its failure to maintain law and order. “It is the third incident within six months after Philobari and Pengeri at Tinsukia. It is a failure of the state law and order to
prevent such menace,” Gogoi wrote on Twitter.

Ulfa (I) and three other outfits had called a total shutdown of activities from 9 last night to 6 this evening in “Western South East Asia”, which includes Assam, Manipur and Meghalaya, to force the people to boycott Republic Day celebrations.

Hagrama demand Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) chief Hagrama Mohilary today demanded creation of three more districts in BTAD.

Speaking at the Republic Day function in Kokrajhar today, Mohilary said the BTC administration has already sent proposal to the state
government to create three more districts — Gossaigaon carved out of Kokrajhar district, Bhergaon out of Udalguri and Tamulpur out of Baksa district along with a proposal for new subdivisions — Dotma (in Kokrajhar), Dimakuchi (Udalguri) and Goreswar (Baksa). We expect it will be done soon, he said.

At present, Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri constitute the Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD).

Mohilary also announced construction of a cancer hospital in Kokrajhar. “We had requested the state government to build a cancer
hospital in Kokrajhar, which is likely to start by the end of this year or 2018,” he said.

He said an international trade centre would come up at Datgiri in Chirang district.

On the statement by BJP that it would fight the panchayat elections alone, Mohilary said his party, the BPF, will continue the alliance with the BJP. “It will be same as in the Assembly elections.”

State BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass had said a few days back that the party’s executive meeting had it will fight the panchayat polls alone. “It is a statement of a party member and not the BJP. In some areas, we will contest alone but in some others we will help our alliance partners BJP and AGP,” Mohilary said today.

The women personnel of Assam Rifles today scripted history by taking part in a Republic Day parade for the first time at Kohima in Nagaland.

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