Assam protests against renewed ULFA violence

On the other hand, over 5,000 people at Jonai had come out on Monday to protest against the ULFA’s repeated violence in the district. Besides Saturday’s incident, 14 persons including 10 children were killed in an equally powerful blast triggered off by the ULFA rebels in 2004 during an official Independence Day celebration in Dhemaji town.

Meanwhile, All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) which is leading the protests has described the incident as an “act of cowardice”. “It is a totally inhuman act committed by some cowards. But the Government too is equally responsible for failing to protect lives of the people,” AASU advisor Samujjal Bhattacharyya said.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and state unit of the BJP too have held the Congress-led Government responsible for the incident. “The Tarun Gogoi Government has failed in protecting commonman’s life. There is total lawlessness across the state and the inhuman incident at Dhemaji is only one example of this,” said AGP general secretary and Lok Sabha member Sarbananda Sonowal.

Though the ULFA had immediately denied its involvement in the blast, the police suspect its involvement in the view of the outfit observing ‘raising day’ of its armed wing on March 17. The police have issued a red alert across the state until April seven, the foundation day of the ULFA.

Meanwhile, the Army has tightened vigil in the state after Lt Gen V K Singh, Eastern Command’s GOC-in-Command on Monday reviewed security scenario in the state in the wake of the Dhemaji blast.