NIA Recovers Live IED in Assam Amid Independence Day Disruption Plot

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) recovered a live Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Assam's Lakhimpur district. Officials attribute the placement to ULFA(I) terrorists aiming to disrupt Independence Day celebrations. The bomb was safely defused by Assam Police's Bomb Disposal Squad.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) recovered a live Improvised Explosive Device (IED) from Assam's Lakhimpur district on Tuesday, officials confirmed. The explosive, linked to ULFA(I) terrorists aiming to disrupt Independence Day celebrations, was defused by Assam Police's Bomb Disposal Squad.

The discovery came during an NIA investigation into a case involving prior IED recoveries by Assam Police on August 15. An order from Paresh Baruah, SS Commander-in-Chief of ULFA(I), prompted increased police action after he called for a boycott of Independence Day events, warning of severe repercussions for non-compliance. The NIA's probe, which began on September 17, revealed a coordinated plan by ULFA(I) to plant multiple IEDs across Assam to incite terror and rally against Independence Day celebrations.

Subsequent investigations identified the involvement of Girish Baruah alias Gautam Baruah, who was apprehended by NIA in Bengaluru on September 24. During interrogation, Baruah divulged the location of the as-yet unrecovered IED in North Lakhimpur. He disclosed that these devices were planted under the direction of Aishang Asom alias Abhiit Gogoi and other top ULFA(I) leaders.

(With inputs from agencies.)