After Six Years Behind Bars, Ex-GU Student Leader Gets Bail in 2019 Zoo Road Blast Case

The Gauhati High Court (HC) has granted bail to Sanjiv Talukdar, an accused in the Zoo road grenade blast case, which was investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Talukdar had been in jail for nearly six years since his arrest on May 27, 2019. Senior advocate Ziaur Kamar represented him in the court proceedings.

Talukdar, a former student leader of Gauhati University and ex-president of the university's Post Graduate Students' Union (2016–2017), was apprehended from Baihata Chariali, on the outskirts of Guwahati. He was arrested for his alleged involvement in the grenade blast that took place on May 15, 2019, in the crowded Zoo Road locality of Guwahati, injuring at least 11 people, including two SSB jawans.

According to police reports, the blast was executed by ULFA (I) cadre Bijoy Axom, who hurled the grenade while riding pillion on a scooty driven by Assamese actress Jahnabi Saikia. Authorities alleged that on the instructions of ULFA (I) Commander-in-Chief Paresh Baruah, Talukdar had guided Bijoy Asom and Papu Koch around Guwahati before the attack. Assam Police also claimed he was in direct contact with Baruah in the lead-up to the blast.

Following the attack, Guwahati Police arrested ULFA pro-talks leader Pranamoy Rajguru and actress Jahnabi Saikia. A court later remanded them to 10 days of police custody. Based on information from Jahnabi, police also arrested ULFA-I cadres Amrit Ballav Goswami, Chinmoy Lahkar, Indra Mohan Bora, and Papu Konch Bokotiyal alias Bijoy Asom.

The NIA took over the case on June 26, 2019, and filed a charge sheet against eight individuals on November 11, 2019. The accused included Pappu Koch Bokoliyal alias Bijoy Asom, Jahnabi Saikia, Pranamoy Rajguru, Chinmoy Lahkar, Indra Mohan Bora, Amrit Ballav Goswami, Sankib Talukdar, and Prakash Rajkonwar.

Following the blast, Paresh Baruah had publicly taken responsibility, stating that the attack was targeted at a CRPF patrol. However, he later expressed regret for injuring civilians. The explosion, which occurred at around 6:20 PM near a branch of Punjab National Bank on Zoo Road, left several people wounded.

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