New Delhi: The NIA arrested two more accused in connection with the recovery of an IED planted by the ULFA-I terror group at Dispur Last Gate, Guwahati, as part of a conspiracy to carry out multiple blasts in Assam on Independence Day in 2024, an official said on Thursday.
Bhargob Gogoi and Sumu Gogoi, both residents of Dibrugarh district of Assam, were involved in the conspiracy orchestrated by the proscribed terrorist organisation to strike terror and threaten the sovereignty, security, and integrity of the nation, said the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
With their arrest, the total number of accused arrested in the conspiracy case has gone up to three.
The NIA, which took over the investigation into the case from Dispur police in September last year, had last month charge-sheeted three accused in the case under various sections of the BNS, UA(P) Act and the Explosives Substance Act.
The three charge-sheeted accused included Paresh Baruah alias Paresh Asom alias Kamruj Zaman Khan alias Nur-uz-Zaman alias Zaman Bhai alias Pradip alias Paban Baruah, chairman and SS Commander-in-Chief of the proscribed terrorist groups ULFA-I.
The other two accused named in the charge sheet were Abhijit Gogoi alias Abhijeet Gogoi alias Aishang Asom alias Aishang alias Aishang Axom alias Rumel Asom alias Dhanajoy Moran and Jahnu Boruah alias Arnob Asom alias Huntu.
Earlier in the month, ULFA-I claimed that its Eastern headquarters in Myanmar had been targeted by the Indian Army with drones in the early hours – a claim denied by the Army.
The proscribed outfit in a press statement claimed that in these cross-border strikes, their 19 cadres were killed and another 19 were injured.
Reports indicated that senior ULFA-I commander Nayan Medhi was killed in the attack, and some cadres of Manipuri insurgent groups, including Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), which is the political wing of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur present at the camp, were also killed, and some were injured.
Earlier, Lt Col Mahendra Rawat, PRO Defence Guwahati, said, “There are no inputs with the Indian Army on such an operation.”
It is worth noting here that ULFA-I, headed by Paresh Barua, is now left with only one senior functionary, Arunodoy Dohotiya, who is in Myanmar.
Another senior ULFA-I commander operating out of Myanmar camps, Rupom Asom, was arrested by Assam Police in May.
(IANS)
