In a major breakthrough, security forces on Saturday arrested the main accused of the recent bomb blast on a railway track leading to the derailment of Guwahati-Puri Express near Rangia in Assam.
Disclosing that the self-style deputy “commander-in-chief” of Adivasi Peoples Army, Silva Orang, was the mastermind of the bomb blast on July 10, Kamrup DSP Apurva Jeevan Baruah said that acting on the specific tip off security forces arrested him from a house in Bangapara area of the district.
Admitting that outfit was at very nascent stage, he, however, said that some of its leaders are still at large.
The APA commander was caught in a joint operation of the police and Army, security sources said, adding that Silva Orang was physically present in carrying out the bomb blast on July 10 which led to the derailment of four coaches of Puri Express, injuring more than 50 passengers.
Security sources said that they were followin g Silva Orang for past few days but on Friday night they succeeded in cornering him in a house in Baganpara area of Baksha district. Though, he tried to flee, security forces succeeded in arresting him.
Security sources are hopeful that they will also be able to apprehend all those involved in the bomb blast.
Pointing out that some of the cadres of the outfit, propped up by the Ulfa in 2006, have started sending feelers to surrender, security sources said that there are about 40 active cadres with APA, which was involved in extorting money in Western Assam districts. The Ulfa rebels trained some of the APA cadres in handling explosives and planting bombs.