As the nation celebrates Independence Day, a concerning development has emerged in Assam. The United Liberation Front of Asom- Independent (ULFA-I) has claimed to have planted bombs in 19 different locations across the state. In an email sent to DY365, the organization listed the specific sites and shared photographs purportedly showing where the explosives were placed.
According to the email, ULFA had planned a military protest in Assam on August 15th, scheduled to occur between 6 a.m. and noon. However, the group claimed that due to a technical glitch, they withdrew their plan. ULFA’s communication also included a request to defuse the bombs they had allegedly planted to ensure the safety of civilians.
Following this declaration, the police promptly initiated search operations at all 19 locations mentioned in the email. The first suspicious object resembling a bomb was discovered near the DTO office in Sibsagar, sparking heightened security measures across the state.
The locations listed by ULFA include: DTO Office, ONGC Number 5 Gate, Dibrugarh Lakuwa Tinali, ASTC, Lakhimpur ASTC, SP Office, Laluk Daily Market, Barghat Police Outpost, Nangav Medical College, Guwahati Dispur Last Gate, Gandhi Mandap, Narengi Army Camp, Pan Bazaar, Jorabat Overbridge, Bhetapara, Maligaon, Rajgarh, Nalbari, and Rangia in Sivasagar district. Additionally, ULFA noted that the precise locations of bombs in three places in Tinsukia district, one in Dibrugarh district, and one each in Golaghat and Sorupathar could not be confirmed.
This situation raises critical questions about the effectiveness of the current administration. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has consistently asserted that insurgency and militancy in Assam have decreased under his leadership, citing the surrender of many militant groups and ongoing peace talks. Yet, this bomb scare challenges those claims, prompting scrutiny of the Assam Police, DGP G.P. Singh, and the Chief Minister himself. Who bears responsibility for this alarming incident?
