Assam CM Sarma urges ULFA chief not to hinder development trend

Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 15 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday urged ULFA-I chief Paresh Baruah not to create a situation in the state that vitiates the investment environment of the state. His statement came after the seizure of “bomb-like substances” from at least eight places after the banned ULFA (I) claimed to have planted 24 bombs across Assam.

“There was a statement from ULFA that they had planted bombs in Guwahati and various places–Sivasagar, Lakhipur, Nagaon, etc.–on the occasion of Independence Day. Yesterday the video said that the bombs would explode between 6 and 12 p.m., and today they said that, the bombs didn’t explode due to technical reasons and that the police should recover the bombs. The police will tell you whether they found a bomb or not,” Sarma told reporters.

“TATA has brought the semiconductor industry to Assam and a lot of other investments will come to the state. After many years, Assam has started seeing some development and progress. Without going into the debate about whether there are bombs or not, I would urge ULFA chief Paresh Baruah not to create a situation in Assam that destroys the investment environment,” he added.

The Chief Minister said that there are about 14 lakh unemployed youths in Assam. If industry does not come to Assam, the youths of the state have to go to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, to work as security guards.

“If the youths of Assam are not in Assam, with whom will we develop or liberate Assam? That would make no sense. Therefore, I hope that we will not do anything bad in Assam that will defame our name outside Assam,” the Chief Minister said.

He said that he was always interested in resolving the problems through discussions.

“I have said this before and I repeat it today also. I request Paresh Baruah not to hinder the development trend in Assam in any circumstances,” he said.

Meanwhile, Assam DGP GP Singh said that the police carried out extensive searches throughout the state on Thursday for explosive devices.

“Assam Police have carried out extensive searches throughout the state today for explosive devices. At two places in Guwahati, suspicious articles were found, which were opened by the Bomb Disposal Squad of Police. These articles do not have an ignition device inside through some circuits and batteries are seen. The substance inside is being sent for forensic/chemical examination. Similar articles have been seen at Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Nalbari & Nagaon which have been safely disposed. In this connection, appropriate lawful investigation has been initiated,” the DGP said in a post on X.

Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah also spoke on the matter and said, “This morning another information was given by the chief of ULFA Independent that there are 8 locations in Guwahati where they have planted IEDs.”

“From our police side, we have done a thorough search of all 8 locations, and in 6 locations, we did not find any suspicious objects. But in two places, one in the Panbazar area and the other in Gandhibasti, we found two objects; they are IED-like objects that have circuits, detonators, and batteries, but the ignition mechanism is absent,” said the official.

“We can say, it is an IED-like object but the ignition or triggering mechanism is absent. Whether the substance we have found is explosive or not can be ascertained only by chemical testing,” he added.