GUWAHATI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today recovered a live IED from the Lakhimpur district of Assam. The explosive, planted by ULFA (I) as part of their Independence Day disruption conspiracy, was recovered early this morning by an NIA team. It was later defused by the bomb disposal squad of the Assam Police.
The NIA found out the bomb during an investigation into a case relating to the previous recovery of IEDs from North Lakhimpur district by the Assam Police on August 15. The state police had swung into action following the release of a video by Paresh Baruah, a self-styled c-in-c of ULFA (I), declaring a'military’ protest by the banned terror outfit across Assam on I-Day. He had also called for a public boycott of the Independence Day celebration, warning of dire consequences if people disobeyed the instructions.
NIA, which took over the investigation from the state police on September 17, 2024, found out that the ULFA (I) leadership had coordinated the placement of several IEDs with the intention to trigger blasts at multiple locations across Assam to protest against the celebrations of Independence Day, 2024, and to strike terror in the minds of people as part of a larger conspiracy.
Investigations into the case (RC-04/2024/NIA/GUW) further revealed the involvement of one Girish Baruah @ Gautam Baruah and his associates in the movement and placement of IEDs in North Lakhimpur district. Baruah was traced and arrested by the NIA from Bengaluru on September 24 and had, on examination, disclosed the location of the live as yet unrecovered IED in North Lakhimpur. He further told NIA that the IEDs had been arranged and planted at the behest of Aishang Asom, alias Abhiit Gogoi, and other top leadership of the ULFA (I), a press release said.
Also Read: Assam: Police, NIA arrest 15 persons for planting IEDs on I-Day in state (sentinelassam.com)
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