GUWAHATI, March 4 - The police and security forces in Assam have been put on high alert following inputs that the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) and fundamentalist elements may try to indulge in acts of violence, particularly blasts. Guwahati city is considered to be one of the most vulnerable places, while the possibility of ultras targeting other places of the State also cannot be ruled out.
Additional Director General of Police, Special Branch, Pallab Bhattacharya admitted before The Assam Tribune that there have been some disturbing intelligence inputs about the possibility of ultra attacks. He said according to information available, the ULFA(I) is desperate to indulge in sabotage before March 16, as the day is observed as �Army Day� by the outfit.
Bhattacharya revealed that recently, police received an input that the ULFA(I) might try to engage fundamentalist elements to plant bombs. Earlier also, the ULFA had used hired persons to plant explosives and according to inputs available, the outfit may try to use fundamentalist elements this time to do such things. He admitted that the ULFA(I) might not use members of outfits like the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, Bangladesh (JMB), but any fundamentalist element may be used.
It may be mentioned here that the police and security forces managed to nab most of the key personnel of the JMB in the State and it is believed that the outfit is not active in Assam now. But there is no guarantee that there is no fundamentalist element in the State.
The ADGP said till recently, the threat was only in the upper Assam districts and the forces in those districts were alerted. The ULFA(I) along with Manipur-based outfits and the NSCN(K) have been trying to indulge in acts of violence in the upper Assam districts, particularly in the areas bordering Arunachal Pradesh for some time and they also managed to do so a few times despite the security forces launching operations in the neighbouring states to uproot the bases of the militants.
However, Bhattacharya said that after receiving the latest input, the police and security forces all over the State have been alerted as any places can be targeted if the fundamentalist elements get involved. He also admitted that Guwahati city is also considered vulnerable and precautionary measures have been taken to thwart any possible militant attack.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Commissioner of Police, Guwahati city, H Nath admitted that the city police received the �alerts� and all precautionary measures have been taken. He said that a close watch is being maintained in all vulnerable places and police personnel in plain clothes have also been deployed in the areas considered vulnerable. He said there is no shortage of force to thwart any militant attack in the city and the police officers are holding talks with the citizens committees and business community and requested cooperation from them.
