By IANS,
Guwahati : A massive security alert was sounded in Assam Friday, a day ahead of the ‘black day’ by the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to protest the first military offensive launched against the outfit in 1990.
“We are taking no chances as the ULFA in the past struck at vital installations like oil facilities, railway tracks, and even bombed crowded places to make their presence felt,” a senior Assam police official said.
ULFA observes Nov 28 as a ‘black day’ as it was on that day in 1990 that the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) government was dismissed by the central government and president’s rule imposed, besides operation Bajrang launched, the first full scale military offensive by New Delhi following deterioration of law and order.
The ULFA was also declared an outlawed outfit Nov 28, 1990.
“We have intelligence inputs of ULFA trying to stage violent attacks ahead of their Black Day to prove a point. We are on full alert and also seeking people’s support to foil ULFA’s terror designs,” the official said.
Police said a woman ULFA bomber who was arrested Thursday from eastern Assam’s Sivasagar district told interrogators that there was a cycle bomb ready to be detonated although she was not able to specify the location.
“We are on the lookout for possible plans by the ULFA to stage violent acts,” the official said.
Three blasts rocked Assam in the past fortnight — two explosions Sunday in western Nalbari town killed eight people and wounded 55 more, and a petroleum-laden train was blown up Nov 16 in eastern Assam.
Two more powerful landmines were recovered with police claiming that major tragedies were averted.
All these were blamed on the ULFA, a rebel group fighting for an independent homeland since 1979.