Guwahati Blast: Fifth suspect nabbed, Police Commissioner condemns ULFA (I)

Guwahati, May 18, 2019:

A fifth accused has been arrested by the Assam Police in relation to the grenade blast in Guwahati city which occurred on 15 May. The fifth accused was arrested on Friday night from Nagaon town in Assam.

The accused has been identified as Chinmoy Laskar. Chinmoy has been taken into custody by the Latashil Police for thorough interrogation.

He was arrested based on the information provided by the accused Jahnabi Saikia who was arrested on Thursday merely hours after the blast from the Panjabari locality of Guwahati city.

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Guwahati Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar, while addressing the Press here, has said that all steps will be taken to ensure that the culprits are brought to book. He also stated that investigations are on and condemned the overground ULFA(I) cadres for preaching the philosophy of ULFA.

Kumar further stated that the Home Ministry is also reviewing the situation at every turn as it is a problem to insurgency.

Four persons, including former United Liberal Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) cadres were earlier apprehended by the Assam Police in relation to the case.

The four who have been apprehended so far are pro-talks ULFA leader Pranamoy Rajguru (suspected 'mastermind' of the blast), Assamese actress Jahnabi Saikia, ULFA bomb expert Amrit Ballav Goswami, and Indramohan Bora.

It may be mentioned that Rajguru and his chief accomplice Jahnavi were remanded to ten-day police custody by a local Court on Friday.

The cause of the blast?

It is suspected that the ULFA (I) has carried out the blast as a desperate move as the Myanmar Army has started a crackdown against the proscribed organizations carrying out 'anti-India' operations on Myanmar soil. Moreover, 24 cadres from militant groups from Assam and Manipur have been sentenced to 2 years in jail.

Moreover, it is believed that the departure and surrender of ULFA(I) cadres due to disillusionment has compounded the woes of the militant group.

The blast:

On Thursday, a grenade blast rocked Guwahati city of Assam during evening time. The location of the blast was near Guwahati Central Mall, one of the hottest destination for shoppers in Guwahati city and also a popular location for hangouts. At least twelve persons, including two SSB jawans, were injured in the blast.