Latest news with #ULFA-I
Hans India
5 days ago
- Hans India
ULFA-I linkman arrested by Assam Police
Guwahati: Assam Police on Saturday arrested one person on the charges of working as a linkman to the banned outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent), officials said. The arrested person has been identified as Shibanan Saikia. Saikia was arrested by police from a tea factory in the Charaideo district. A senior police official said, "We have kept a close watch on Saikia's activity. He has been working as a linkman to the militant outfit ULFA-I. We have taken him into custody in a joint operation with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Saikia will be interrogated to unearth further links with ULFA-I." Recently, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against three individuals associated with the banned insurgent group ULFA-I for their alleged involvement in planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Guwahati during the 2024 Independence Day celebrations. The accused -- Paresh Baruah, Abhijit Gogoi, and Jahnu Boruah -- have been charged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Explosive Substances Act. The charges were filed on Friday after an extensive investigation into the terror plot aimed at destabilising the region and spreading panic among the public, the NIA said in a statement on Saturday. According to the NIA, the trio was linked to an IED planted at Dispur Last Gate, Guwahati, in what was part of a larger ULFA-I conspiracy to execute multiple IED blasts across Assam. The group aimed to disrupt Independence Day celebrations and instil fear through coordinated acts of terror. "The trio were found linked with the IED planted by the terror outfit at Dispur Last Gate, Guwahati, Assam, as part of the ULFA (I) conspiracy to trigger multiple IED blasts across Assam, including at Dispur Last Gate, to disrupt the I-Day celebrations last year," the NIA stated. The NIA had taken over the case in September 2024. Its investigation found that the planted IEDs were intended to cause death, injuries, and property damage, with the broader objective of threatening India's unity, integrity, security, and sovereignty. "The IEDs had been planted to cause death/injuries to persons and/or loss/damage/destruction to property, with the intent to threaten the unity, integrity, security and sovereignty of India, and to strike terror among the people of the country," the NIA added. Further investigations into the case are currently ongoing.
Hans India
17-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Opportunities for all: Assam CM on visit of tribal students to semiconductor plant
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that at least 50 students from tribal communities were recently taken on an exposure visit to the upcoming Tata Semiconductor Facility. The visit was organised as part of their ongoing Semiconductor Fabrication and Characterisation Training, a key initiative aimed at equipping students with the technical know-how and practical experience required to thrive in the rapidly growing semiconductor industry. Highlighting the government's commitment to inclusive development, CM Sarma said the initiative underscores the belief -- 'opportunities are for all'. The training programme, he added, is designed to make students "industry-ready" and align their skills with emerging national priorities such as semiconductor manufacturing, which has become a crucial area under India's tech-driven growth strategy. The tour allowed students to interact with industry professionals, observe cutting-edge fabrication processes, and gain insights into the operations of a state-of-the-art facility. It also served as a motivational push for students from underrepresented communities, offering them a first-hand look at the possibilities that lie ahead with the right training and support. Later, the CM wrote on X, "Unlocking possibilities 50 students from the tribal communities were taken on a tour to the upcoming Tata Semiconductor Facility as part of their Semiconductor Fabrication and Characterization Training, which will make them industry ready. Because opportunities are for all!" The upcoming Tata Semiconductor plant is an ambitious project by the state government. Earlier, CM Sarma appealed to the commander-in-chief of the banned militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), Paresh Baruah, to refrain from creating any such environment which is detrimental to investments in the state. 'I want to appeal to Paresh Baruah that after several years, Assam has been witnessing big investments coming to the state. The TATA group has been constructing a large semiconductor plant and other industry key players are also looking to invest here,' he said. The Chief Minister said that Baruah should refrain from creating any environment which might affect investors coming to Assam. 'The state has seen recently progress and development after many decades. If the ULFA-I tries to destabilise the peace in the state, it will adversely impact the youths of Assam,' he said, adding that before inciting violence, Baruah must always think about the 14 lakh unemployed youths of Assam.
Hans India
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Assam: NIA files chargesheet against 3 ULFA-I operatives in IED planting case on 2024 I-Day
Guwahati: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against three individuals associated with the banned insurgent group United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) for their alleged involvement in planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Guwahati during the 2024 Independence Day celebrations. The accused -- Paresh Baruah, Abhijit Gogoi, and Jahnu Boruah -- have been charged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act -(UA(P) Act), and the Explosive Substances Act. The charges were filed on Friday after an extensive investigation into the terror plot aimed at destabilising the region and spreading panic among the public, the NIA said in a statement on Saturday. According to the NIA, the trio was linked to an IED planted at Dispur Last Gate, Guwahati, in what was part of a larger ULFA-I conspiracy to execute multiple IED blasts across Assam. The group aimed to disrupt Independence Day celebrations and instil fear through coordinated acts of terror. "The trio were found linked with the IED planted by the terror outfit at Dispur Last Gate, Guwahati, Assam, as part of the ULFA (I) conspiracy to trigger multiple IED blasts across Assam, including at Dispur Last Gate, to disrupt the I-Day celebrations last year," the NIA stated. The NIA had taken over the case in September 2024. Its investigation found that the planted IEDs were intended to cause death, injuries, and property damage, with the broader objective of threatening India's unity, integrity, security, and sovereignty. "The IEDs had been planted to cause death/injuries to persons and/or loss/damage/destruction to property, with the intent to threaten the unity, integrity, security and sovereignty of India, and to strike terror among the people of the country," the NIA added. Further investigations into the case are currently ongoing. The 2024 Independence Day celebrations in Assam were clouded by serious security concerns after ULFA-I sent emails to several media outlets in the state, claiming to have planted bombs in 24 different locations. The emails provided the precise locations of 19 IEDs, while details for the remaining five were not disclosed. As a precaution, security forces and police personnel who were previously deployed for parades and ceremonial duties were reassigned to assist in the search for explosives. Bomb disposal squads were also rushed to various sites to detect and neutralise the threats. ULFA-I claimed in its emails that the devices would not detonate due to a "technical fault" and even appealed to the public to help locate them. However, security agencies took no chances and launched an intensive operation across the state. The Assam Police recovered 11 IEDs from multiple locations. Among them, four explosive devices were found in high-risk areas of Guwahati, including Pan Bazar, Dispur, Gandhi Mandap, and Satgaon. None of the IEDs detonated, and no injuries were reported. On September 21, 2024, the Assam Police and NIA jointly arrested 15 individuals, including three women, from various locations across the state in connection with the planting of IEDs. Later in December, the agency arrested a key ULFA-I operative tied to the same case.
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
ULFA (I) commander held near Assam-Arunachal border, firearms recovered: Police
Silchar: The Assam Police, in a joint operation with the Assam Rifles and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), have arrested a suspected commander of the banned militant group United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent), or ULFA-I, and recovered some firearms, officials said. The superintendent of police (SP), Tinsukia, Gaurav Abhijit Dilip, said that the self-styled brigadier of ULFA-I, identified as Rupam Asom, was arrested from the Lekhapani area of Tinsukia early on Saturday. 'He was involved in various extortions, arms smuggling and other activities in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. He was directly involved in the killing of a police officer, and we had been tracking him for several months,' Gaurav said. He said, based on specific inputs provided by Kolkata-based Military Intelligence, an operation was launched on Friday and the ULFA (I) commander was arrested from an area at around 4am on Saturday. During the operation, one pistol, hand grenades and some other devices were recovered. 'The operation is going on, and we are hopeful that we'll get more information about the activities and the network of this militant group in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh,' he added. The SP said that Rupom was directly involved in a militant ambush that happened in Tinsukia in 2018 where the officer-in-charge of Bordumsa police station, Bhaskar Kalita, was killed. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigated the matter and filed a charge-sheet naming seven ULFA (I) insurgents and Rupam Asom was one of them, according to police. Officials said that Rupam Asom had been visiting the areas near the Assam-Arunachal border frequently, and he was planning 'something big'. 'Rupom and his team were hiding in a jungle near the border and during the operation, we managed to catch him. We are searching for the others too,' a senior cop said. Additional SP(HQ), Tinsukia, Mrinmoy Das said that this is an important operation since Rupom Asom is one of the most powerful cadres of ULFA-I. 'He was leading many operations in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.'
