GUWAHATI: In the aftermath of a grenade explosion near an army camp in Assam’s Tinsukia district, security forces have detained an active cadre of the proscribed militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I).
Identified as Achyutanand Neog, also known as Niloy Asom, reports revealed that he was the mastermind behind the planning of the explosion.
Niloy Asom, who joined the banned insurgent group along with his wife in 2022, was apprehended by security forces. According to the local press, his wife remains within the ULFA-I camp.
The arrest follows the stern promise of strict action made by Assam Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh in response to the grenade explosion on Wednesday.
Singh highlighted the peculiar timing of the incident, labelling it a “strange coincidence,” occurring as the state government and the police force were intensifying efforts in the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) scam investigation.
Earlier on Wednesday evening, the grenade explosion occurred outside the gates of an army camp. There were no reported casualties at the moment, an investigation is underway.
As per a police official’s statement to the press, two individuals on motorcycles tried to throw the grenade inside the camp, but it inadvertently fell outside, resulting in an explosion. Law enforcement has initiated a thorough manhunt to apprehend those responsible for the incident.
It is noteworthy that, from October 1, the application of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) has been extended in four districts of Assam, including Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, and Charaideo. The extension aims to enhance security measures in these regions.