3 men arrested for alleged plot to murder Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
Pradip Gogoi, vice-chairman of the pro-talks faction of the rebel outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) was arrested in Guwahati on Monday night. He is under custody of the crime branch of police.
Three persons including a leader of the pro-talks faction of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) have been arrested for an alleged conspiracy to murder senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Assam Police said Tuesday.
Pradip Gogoi, vice-chairman of the rebel outfit, which has been in talks with the government since 2011, was arrested from the Hatigaon area of Guwahati on Monday night. He is under custody of the crime branch of police.
"Gogoi and two others were arrested based on secret information about a conspiracy regarding Himanta Biswa Sarma. They were produced in a city court on Tuesday and remanded to three days of police custody," said Guwahati police commissioner MP Gupta.
According to reports, Gogoi had received a call from one Manab Pathak, another member of pro-talk ULFA, where they allegedly conspired to kill Sarma, a senior BJP leader who is the minister for education, health, finance and PWD in the Sarbananda Sonowal government.
The matter came to light after the police intercepted phone calls in which the accused discussed the plot. The police have also arrested Pathak and another youth, both from Karbi Anglong district, based on the phone conversation.
Police have tightened Sarma's security after the conspiracy was unearthed.
“Police are looking into the matter. The DGP had called me and asked me to be careful and the police have also taken action. That’s all I know,” Sarma told journalists on Tuesday.
Security has been tightened in Assam for the three-phase assembly election that begins on March 27. Sarma is the most high profile minister in the state who in spearheading the BJP's campaign to retain power.
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