New Delhi: The Centre on Saturday rushed thousands of more troops to Assam where the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) carried out yet another bomb blast killing two persons and also shot dead a local Congress leader in upper Assam.
Ten people were injured in the grenade attack in Assam's Tinsukia district—the third such blast in the district alone in three days.
ULFA also shot dead Congress panchayat leader, Gangadhar Moran at his residence in Digboi, Tinsukia district on Saturday night.
As many as 2,000 additional paramilitary personnel, comprising 20 new companies, will be used for internal security duties and guard the National Games next month, news agency PTI quoted a spokesman of the Ministry of Home Affairs as saying.
Ten companies of security forces were sent to the state on Tuesday.
The Army has intensified its 'Operation Clear' to flush out ULFA rebels from their camps in Tirap, Changlang and Lohit districts of Arunachal Pradesh and Dibru Saikhowa and Lakhipathar reserve forests in Assam along the border.
Two ULFA militants were killed while five managed to escape during two separate shootouts with security forces in Assam, officials said. One ULFA operative was killed in a gunfight with the police.
A massive counter-insurgency operation involving 30,000 army, police, and paramilitary personnel was launched on January 8 after the ULFA attacks killed more at least 67 Hindi speaking migrant workers.
The banned rebel group has asked Hindi-speaking people to leave the state.
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REBEL TALK
Meanwhile, ULFA leader Ramu Mech, who is in prison at present was quoted by PTI as saying, “the situation (in Assam) will turn frightening’ if the government did not free five imprisoned leaders and hold discussions on sovereignty for the state.
Mech, one of the five jailed ULFA leaders whose release is being demanded by the banned group.
He added, "The Centre is not interested in solving the state's problems and is always creating obstacles."
A police team escorted Mech from Guwahati Central Jail on Friday night to attend the last rites of his father in Sibsagar.
"We will talk after our leaders are released," he said.
The Guwahati High Court had granted the ULFA leader permission to travel.
On the recent killing of 70 migrant workers by the ULFA in the state, Mech said, "More than 30,000 Assamese women have been widowed during our struggle but the Centre was never concerned. Why is it so bothered when only Hindi-speaking people are killed?"
Mech also said the ULFA was never opposed to talks and favoured a permanent solution to Assam's problems.
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