On Friday, Assam police initiated extensive search operations following a claim by the banned insurgent group United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) that they had planted 24 bombs across the state in conjunction with Independence Day celebrations.
Police officials reported that bomb squads conducted thorough searches and recovered several suspicious items resembling bombs. Fortunately, no explosions occurred at any of the locations.
The situation was triggered after ULFA-I purportedly sent an email to multiple media outlets, which then disseminated the information, causing widespread panic among residents. The email detailed specific areas where the purported bombs were supposedly planted, including two locations in Sibsagar and Lakhimpur, and one each in Lakuwa (Dibrugarh), Laluk, Borghat, Nagaon, Nalbari, and Tamulpur, with eight locations in Guwahati.
Additionally, the group claimed to have placed bombs at five other sites in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, and Sarupathar, although exact locations were not specified. The group attributed the failure of the devices to detonate to “technical issues.”
In a statement from ULFA-I’s publicity wing, it was mentioned that the blasts were intended to occur between 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Independence Day but did not happen due to technical failure. The group urged the public to locate and deactivate the bombs.
Assam Police Chief GP Singh reported on X that suspicious items were discovered by the bomb disposal squad at two locations in Guwahati. These items, lacking ignition devices, are being sent for forensic and chemical analysis. Similar items were also found and safely disposed of in Lakhimpur, Sibsagar, Nalbari, and Nagaon.
An investigation into these incidents is currently underway, Singh added.