NIA Thwarts ULFA-I Plot, Recovers Live IED in Assam's Lakhimpur

In a major action, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) recovered a live IED from Lakhimpur district of Assam on Tuesday.

According to reports, the explosive, placed by ULFA-I cadres as part of their Independence Day disruption conspiracy, was recovered early this morning by an NIA team. It was later defused by the Bomb Disposal Squad of the Assam Police.

The NIA discovered the bomb during investigation into a case relating to the previous recovery of IEDs from North Lakhimpur district by Assam Police on August 15. The state police had swung into action following the release of a video by Paresh Baruah, SS C-in-C of ULFA-I, declaring a ‘military’ protest by the banned terror outfit across Assam on I-Day. He had also called for a public boycott of the Independence Day celebration, warning of dire consequences if people disobeyed the instructions.

NIA, which took over the investigation from the state police on September 17, found out that the ULFA-I leadership had coordinated the placement of several IEDs with the intention to trigger blasts at multiple locations across Assam to protest against the celebrations of Independence Day, 2024, and to strike terror in the minds of people, as part of a larger conspiracy.

Investigations into the case RC-04/2024/NIA/GUW further revealed the involvement of Girish Baruah alias Gautam Baruah and his associates in the movement and placement of IEDs in North Lakhimpur. Baruah was traced and arrested by NIA from Bengaluru on September 24 and had, on examination, disclosed the location of the live as yet unrecovered IED in North Lakhimpur. He further told NIA that the IEDs had been arranged and planted at the behest of Aishang Asom alias Abhiit Gogoi and other top leadership of the ULFA-I

Meanwhile, Investigations into the case are ongoing.

Also Read: NIA Secures Custody of ULFA (I) Member Linked to Guwahati IED Plot on I-Day