In what could be an indicator of diminishing fear of insurgent groups in Assam, a large number of people on Monday came out to participate Independence Day’s celebrations and defied the dictate of rebel outfits to observe general strike and boycott the official functions in Assam.
Though, to make their presence felt, some miscreants exploded firecracker to create an illusion of IED blast on railway track at Darrangiri in lower Assam’s Goalpara district. The police, after visiting the spot, exposed the mischievous acts of miscreants.
Additional superintendent of the police Pradip Kumar Brahma, who was on the spot, said a firecracker exploded on the railway track. Villagers assumed it to be an IED blast as miscreants had spread wire from railway track to nearby forested areas.
He added that the firecracker, which failed to cause any damage to the railway track, was exploded to create a fear psychosis among the people.
In yet another incident in eastern Karbi Anglong district, two rival tribal separatist groups were engaged in a fierce gunfight since early morning on Monday.
Rebels of the Karbi People’s Liberation Tigers (KPLT) attacked the designated camp of the rival Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KLNLF) and soon there was a gunfight involving the two sides. Though, there was no casualty from either side as they were engaged in gunbattle from a safe distance, security sources said, adding that KPLT, which has very little presence in the hill districts, was trying to make their presence felt by indulging in targeting the soft targets.