GUWAHATI: The militants triggered seven blasts, five in Assam and two in Manipur, on Independence Day on Monday. However, there were no casualties.
Suspected militants of the Paresh Baruah faction of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) triggered five blasts, all at abandoned places, in Assam’s Tinsukia and Sivasagar districts. In Manipur, the blasts were triggered in state capital Imphal.
Last week, 12 insurgent groups of the Northeast, including the ULFA, had given a joint call for boycott of the Independence Day in the region.
Four of the five blasts in Assam were triggered in Tinsukia district which was on a high alert following the killings of two Hindi-speaking people by the suspected ULFA insurgents on Friday.
“The blasts were triggered by suspected ULFA militants at abandoned places. They had no target and apparently, they carried out the acts to make their presence felt,” Assam’s Director General of Police (DGP), Mukesh Sahay, told Express.
“However, we are not taking the incidents lightly. We are sending reinforcements and we will give them a befitting reply,” he added.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the rebels could not carry out a major subversive act as tight security arrangements were in place across the state. He said ensuring security to the lives and property of the citizens was one of the top priorities of his government.
“They (ULFA) failed and this was evident from people’s coming out in large numbers to take part in the (I-Day) celebrations. I must applaud the people for defying the rebels’ call,” he told reporters in Guwahati.
Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also appreciated the people.
“They (insurgents) triggered the blasts to create panic among people to try and keep them indoors but they came out. People rejected the rebels as they want peace to prevail and development to take place,” Sarma said.