In the wake of a bomb threat issued by the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), Assam police have conducted extensive searches across the state, uncovering several suspicious devices. The threat, which claimed that bombs had been planted at 19 locations, prompted a swift response from law enforcement. Assam’s Director General of Police, GP Singh, reported that the bomb disposal team successfully neutralized the devices, which were found to contain circuits, batteries, and unidentified substances, though they lacked ignition mechanisms. The items have been forwarded for forensic analysis to determine their exact nature and purpose.
The searches were initiated following ULFA-I’s announcement of an “armed protest” planned for Independence Day, which they claimed failed due to “technical problems.” The banned militant group had issued a list of targeted locations, including eight in Guwahati, and shared photos of some bomb sites. According to DGP Singh, suspicious items were discovered in several districts, including Guwahati, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Nalbari, and Nagaon. Investigations are currently underway.
On Independence Day, ULFA-I asserted that they had planted bombs at 19 locations across Assam, with plans to detonate them during celebrations. However, they reported that technical failures prevented the explosives from activating as scheduled between 6 am and noon. The group, which is seeking a “sovereign Assam,” had boycotted Independence Day celebrations and aimed to use the explosives as a form of protest. The warning echoes the tragic memory of the 2004 Dhemaji bomb blast, which killed 18 people and injured many more during an Independence Day parade.