The United Liberation Front of Asom – Independent (ULFA-I) refuted claims that they had plans to carry out explosions across seven locations and said that the police official who made the claims did so with the intention of getting awards and recognition and possibly a promotion.
This came after Tinsukia ASP Bibhas Das addressed media persons saying that they had inputs of possible explosions across seven locations. In a letter dated August 2, the banned militant organization said, “It has come to our notice that on August 1, 2023, Tinsukia Additional Superintendent of Police Bibhas Das mentioned that ahead of Independence Day on August 15, our organization has plans to carry out explosions at seven locations.”
The letter signed by ULFA-I Publicity Cell member Captain Rumel Asom mentioned, “We completely reject the above comments by Bibhas Das because the person named by him, Shashanka Rajkhowa, is a resident of Jerai village in Dibrugarh district’s Chabua and is a police informant of Chabua Police Station. We have information that he is involved in passing on information to the police about our operations and also taking part in some of their police operations.”
“Hence, whatever Bibhas Das has said based on Rajkhowa’s statements is entirely purposeful with the same intention of getting praises from the department, awards and promotions, that fuelled jawans Simanta Chetia, Sanjiv Barua and Krishna Moran of Daisajan Army Camp on April 26 to plant explosives at Makum bypass to put the blame on ULFA-I. After the aforementioned conspiracy was leaked, Bibhas Das detained all the jawans along with a SULFA cadre for interrogation and after they accepted the truth, the jawans were let go,” the letter added.
The letter further said, “Therefore, it cannot be denied that there is no conspiracy by Bibhas Das in the above matter and hence, the ULFA-I urges the indigenous freedom fighters not to believe Bibhas Das.”
It may be noted that the police official, addressing reporters said, “We had information of an ongoing recruitment process for which several youths were contacted. After following the links, we were able to apprehend two people, Jumon Bora and Shashanka Rajkhowa. From them, we got some names and lists of people being contacted by ULFA. We also got information of explosive items.”
He said, “After investigating further, we found and recovered the explosives, as you know. Based on their statements, we apprehended another youth named Surajit Gogoi. From him, we found another list of the people in contact with ULFA and we are investigating it.”
“They were supposed to join the militant outfit, but our proactive approach probably prevented it. We are contacting all police stations and trying to contact every name on the lists. In their statements, the apprehended youths confessed of carrying out explosions at seven locations. Accordingly we were able to recover the explosive items,” added Das.
