At least 11 persons were injured in a grenade blast at the busy Zoo Road area of Guwahati on Wednesday evening. One person has been critically injured in the blast and is undergoing treatment at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital. Two among those injured are said to be security personnel.
According to police, the blast took place around 7:42 pm in front of Guwahati Central mall, a frolicking place for city dwellers commuting through the arterial RG Baruah Road. Senior police officials including Guwahati police commissioner Deepak Kumar rushed to the spot. The area has been cordoned off, and a forensic team was present to collect evidence.
According to sources, stone splinters have been recovered from the site of the blast.
Meanwhile, a high alert has been sounded and security has been tightened across the city.
Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal condemned the incident and directed the police to expedite the investigation and punish the guilty.
“Preliminary investigation is on. The blast took place in front of Guwahati Central mall, near the team of security forces on routine patrol. We can’t yet ascertain who could be behind the blast. Since the past few days, Assam police have intensified operations against the insurgents, which has led to apprehensions and surrenders of a large number of cadres. We have also recovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunition. This morning, 3 ULFA (I) rebels were nabbed in Tinsukia district,” said Assam DGP Kuladhar Saikia, who visited the blast site and took stock of the situation.
The blast took place at a time when a high-level security meeting was convened by the CM in Guwahati. The CM had reportedly discussed the need to strengthen the security apparatus in the city.
A section of regional media claimed that ULFA(I) chief Paresh Baruah has claimed responsibility for the blast through telephone calls.
Earlier this morning, in one of the biggest blows to the proscribed outfit, United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I), hardcore cadre and self-styled Corporal Tiger Asom alias Bubul Moran was captured in a joint operation by Indian Army and Tinsukia police. Tiger Asom (26) is listed in police records as an active ULFA cadre who was involved in the killing of Bordumsa police station officer-in-charge Bhaskar Kalita along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border in Tinsukia district last year. Two others - Binondo Dahotia (24) alias Swadesh Asom and Chandrakant Borgohain(28) alias Tipong Asom have also been apprehended.
ULFA (I) had last triggered a low-intensity blast in Guwahati on October 12 last year in Fancy Bazar area. The outfit had then claimed that it was a warning to those supporting the rehabilitation of Hindu Bengalis through the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
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