Police will determine if suspicious objects are Bombs: Assam CM

Digital Desk: In response to the discovery of suspicious items in Guwahati and other areas of Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the police will determine if these items are explosives. This announcement comes as the 78th Independence Day celebrations take place and reports indicate that suspicious articles have been found at two locations in Guwahati, as well as in Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Nalbari, and Nagaon, all of which have been safely disposed of.

Regarding the situation, Sarma remarked, "The police will confirm whether the recovered items are explosives. We certainly do not want any bomb blasts, especially with the upcoming Tata semiconductor plant." He emphasized that Assam has just begun to return to normalcy, with investments flowing in and industrialists showing interest in the state.

"Our focus is on creating local employment rather than sending jobs outside the state. Such activities are unacceptable at this time," he added, urging United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) leader Paresh Baruah to reinitiate peace talks.

Notably, ULFA-I, the banned militant group, claimed in emails to the media that planned blasts between 6 am and 12 noon could not be executed due to technical issues. The group has made the locations of the potential bomb sites public as a precautionary measure for "public safety" and has asked local residents for help in locating and deactivating the explosives.

Meanwhile, Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Gyanendra Pratap Singh reported that extensive search operations are underway, with suspicious items being found in Guwahati and other parts of the state. Singh noted that the bomb disposal squad had examined two suspicious articles found in Guwahati, revealing that they lacked ignition devices but contained circuits and batteries. The substances inside these items are being sent for forensic and chemical analysis.