NE NEWS SERVICE
GUWAHATI, JAN 26
Several low-intensity blasts carried out using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) rocked parts of upper Assam on Sunday within a span of 15 minutes as India marked its 71st Republic Day, officials sources said.
“We had reports of five incidents but of those at one spot, there was no sign of any blast. So, we have been able to confirm four blasts—two in Dibrugarh and one each on Duliajan and Sonari,” additional director general of police (law and order), GP Singh, said.
“All these are suspected low intensity improvised explosive device (IED) blasts. There was no damage to property and no human injury or casualty. The first blast was reported at 8.10 a.m. and the last one around 8.25 a.m.,” he added.
The fifth incident reported from Doomdooma has been confirmed to be a hoax, Singh said.
Initial reports suggested the likely involvement of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I) in the blasts.
“Strongly condemn the bomb blasts in a few places of Assam. This cowardly attempt to create terror on a sacred day only exhibits the frustration of the terror groups after their total rejection by the people. Our Govt will take the sternest action to bring the culprits to book,” chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal tweeted.
ULFA-I had issued a call for a “general strike” on Sunday asking citizens to abstain from the Republic Day celebrations in the state and remain indoors.
The blasts come after few days after 644 militants from eight rebel outfits laid down their arms in front of Sarbananda Sonowal at a ceremony in Guwahati. They included 50 ULFA-I cadres.
