Cases of lobbing of grenades cracked with arrest of perpetrators: Assam DGP

Guwahati, Dec 29 (PTI) The Assam Police on Friday claimed they have cracked three recent cases of lobbing of grenades by the banned ULFA(I) outfit by arresting the perpetrators.

Director General of Police G P Singh, in a post on X, said, “In an excellent operation lasting weeks, the three crimes of grenade lobbing by a banned organisation in Tinsukia, Sivasagar and Jorhat have been cracked and perpetrators arrested and motorcycles used recovered.”

“People instigating these perpetrators through online platforms have also been identified and would be brought to book whichever corner they are in. The evidence would be presented in the appropriate court of law in due course,” he added.

The DGP said that the Assam Police remain steadfast in their resolve to protect the people of the state from all violent crimes at all personal and professional costs, and he complimented every officer and men associated with the operations.

Two persons allegedly involved in the lobbing of a grenade near an army camp in Jorhat town have been separately arrested from Moran in Dibrugarh district and Titabor in Jorhat district and the motorcycle they had used in the crime has been seized, another police officer said.

The duo has been identified as Achyut Gogoi and Biraj Kachari, he added.

Earlier, a 24-year-old man identified as Dipankar Gogoi allegedly died by suicide after he was picked up for questioning by the police several times after the blast as he was earlier associated with the outfit, a charge subsequently denied by his family.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had ordered an additional chief secretary-level inquiry while the DGP had directed the IGP (Eastern Range) to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

The ULFA(I) claimed responsibility for the recent grenade attacks in Tinsukia, Sivasagar and Jorhat, stating those were carried out in response to the ‘arrogance’ of the DGP Singh, who was “trying to establish the outfit’s demand as a law and order problem and not a political issue”.

The DGP had in response to the ULFA(I)’s allegations said that “they always refer to me and if they have a cause with me, they can always target me. I live in Kahilipara and my office (DGP headquarters) is in Ulubari, (both in Guwahati). They can come and target me. Why are they harassing the common people by lobbing a grenade here and there’.

Singh had in another statement earlier stated that the police were ‘committed to wiping out the remnants of terrorism that impedes growth of our state. And for that, if we have to sacrifice our life, we shall not hesitate, nor shall we waver from our determination to use the full might of law against those who stand in the path of our state’s growth, progress and development”.

Following the blasts, operations were intensified across the state, particularly in the Upper Assam districts, and several arrests were made, while five people were injured in police firing when they allegedly tried to escape from custody.