Assam on high alert ahead of PM Modi’s visit; one killed in oil pipeline blast

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India’s longest bridge, and lay foundation of AIIMS and IARI units.

Updated on: May 25, 2017, 16:35:43 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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Security in Guwahati and parts of upper Assam has been tightened ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s daylong visit to the state on Friday amid intelligence reports that a separatist outfit may carry out attacks at important installations in the state.

Asia’s longest road bridge over the Brahmaputra river connecting Dhola and Sadiya that will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 26. (Pronib Das/HT Photo)

Police said intelligence reports have said a team of armed United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) cadres has entered Assam from Myanmar recently.

“It is likely that the ULFA-I is planning attacks to coincide with PM’s visit. Security across Assam including Guwahati has been increased,” Assam’s additional director general of police (ADGP) Pallab Bhattacharya told journalists.

One person was killed on Thursday morning at Dikom in Dibrugarh near an Oil India Limited (OIL) pipeline. It is not clear yet whether he tried to denote a bomb or died while trying to pilfer fuel.

Modi will inaugurate India’s longest bridge connecting Dhola and Sadiya located on the south banks of Brahmaputra. At 9.15km, the bridge is significantly longer than the 5.6km Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai.

Asia’s longest road bridge over the Brahmaputra river connecting Dhola and Sadiy that will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 26. (Pronib Das/HT Photo)

More importantly, it will improve connectivity to eastern parts of Arunachal Pradesh and reduce the time taken for movement of Indian Army convoys to the sensitive Chinese-Indian border areas by 3-4 hours.

The PM will also lay the foundation stones of units of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) near Guwahati and Gogamukh in Dhemaji.

To mark the completion of three years of the NDA government at the Centre and one year of the first BJP-led government in Assam, Modi will address the nation from Guwahati before departing for New Delhi.

“It a matter of pride and honour for the people of Assam that the Prime Minister will address the nation from our state. We express heartfelt thanks for his gesture,” Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Wednesday.

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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