By IANS,
Guwahati : Suspected militants triggered two back-to-back blasts in Haflong town of Assam Sunday evening, forcing the police and security forces to launch a combing operation.
No one was, however, injured during the blasts and there is no report of any major damage caused by the blasts, police said.
Haflong, the district headquarters of Dima Hasao district, is located about 300 km from Assam’s main city, Guwahati.
“The first blast took place at around 5.55 p.m. near Synod Gallery in the heart of the town. The second blast took place around 6.25 p.m. near the Sarkari Bagan area,” Assam’s IGP (Law and Order) L.R. Bishnoi said adding some kinds of crude bombs had been used to trigger the blasts.
“It is difficult to name anyone as being behind the blasts today. But it is aimed at derailing the proposed peace process between the two factions of Dimasa militant outfit Dima Halam Daogah and the government of India,” he said.
The two factions of the militant outfit – one led by Dilip Nunisa and the other led by Jewel Garlosa, known as DHD (J) – are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the representatives of the state and central governments in New Delhi Monday. The MoU will lead to the formation of a new territorial autonomous council in Dima Hasao.
On Friday last, police recovered a grenade from the town and suspected militants sprayed bullets at the Agartala-bound Agartala Express at a small station near Haflong.
While the state and central government are going ahead with the signing of the MoU Monday, the indigenous non-Dimasa communities of the district like the Kukis, Hmars, Jeme Nagas, Wrangkhols, Baites and others are still opposing the move.
Several organizations of these communities – Indigenous Peoples’ Forum (IPF), the Indigenous Students’ Forum (ISF) and others have not only opposed the signing of the MoU but also threatened massive movements if areas inhabited by non-Dimasa communities are included under the purview of the new territorial autonomous council.