NEW DELHI: The banned ULFA(I) claimed to have planted bombs at 24 locations across Assam on Thursday, prompting security forces to dispatch teams to search for explosives.
Despite extensive searches, no bombs have been found so far, according to a senior police officer. ULFA(I) asserted that the bombs failed to detonate due to "technical failure" in an email sent to media houses, including PTI.
The terror outfit provided a list of 19 locations and mentioned that the locations of five additional bombs could not be identified, seeking public cooperation in defusing them.
A senior officer at Assam Police headquarters confirmed that district SPs, particularly those in the areas listed by ULFA(I), have been alerted and instructed to conduct thorough searches.
"Bomb disposal squads, metal detectors, and sniffer dogs have been dispatched to every location. So far we have not got any information on recovery of bombs," he said.
While no bombs have been confirmed found yet, local police officials in Nagaon, Lakhimpur and Sivasagar reported finding "bomb-like materials" at some locations.
Out of the 24 locations, eight are in Guwahati. These include an open field at Last Gate in Dispur, near Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other ministers' official residences.
Other sites in Guwahati mentioned are Satgaon road towards the Army cantonment in Narengi, Ashram Road, Panbazar, Jorabat, Bhetapara, Maligaon, and Rajgarh.
In addition to Guwahati, places in Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Nalbari, Tamulpur, Tinsukia, and Golaghat districts are also listed as bomb locations by ULFA(I).
Police have shut down all roads in the mentioned areas and senior police officials are on-site, supervising the search operations.
The security forces continue their efforts to search the mentioned locations and ensure public safety amidst the claims made by ULFA(I).
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