Blasts rocks Assam on Republic Day; no casualties

Initial reports suggested the likely involvement of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I) in the blasts.

Updated on: Sep 24, 2020, 20:40:38 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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Several low-intensity blasts carried out using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) rocked parts of upper Assam on Sunday within a span of 15 minutes as India marked its 71st Republic Day, officials said.

The banned United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) (ULFA-I) is suspected to be responsible for the blasts (HT File Photo/Representative Image)

Hours later, United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent) claimed responsibility for serial blasts in Assam saying it was “handiwork of the military wing” of ULFA-I. The extremist organisation had called a bandh on Republic Day, asking the residents to remain indoors.

“We had reports of five incidents but of those at one spot, there was no sign of any blast. So, we have been able to confirm four blasts—two in Dibrugarh and one each on Duliajan and Sonari,” additional director general of police (law and order), GP Singh, said.

WATCH | Serial bomb blasts amid Republic Day celebrations in Assam; none hurt

“All these are suspected low intensity improvised explosive device (IED) blasts. There was no damage to property and no human injury or casualty. The first blast was reported at 8:10am and the last one around 8:25am,” he added.

The fifth incident reported from Doomdooma has been confirmed to be a false lead, Singh informed.

“Strongly condemn the bomb blasts in a few places of Assam. This cowardly attempt to create terror on a sacred day only exhibits the frustration of the terror groups after their total rejection by the people. Our Govt will take the sternest action to bring the culprits to book,” chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal tweeted.

ULFA-I had issued a call for a “general strike” on Sunday asking citizens to abstain from the Republic Day celebrations in the state and remain indoors.

The blasts come days after 644 militants from eight rebel outfits laid down arms in front of Sarbananda Sonowal at a ceremony in Guwahati. They included 50 ULFA-I cadres.

Militant outfits in Assam and rest of the northeast routinely call for a boycott on Republic Day and Independence Day and carry out minor blasts.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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