Five ULFA rebels arrested, 100 kg explosives seized in Assam

GUWAHATI - Five separatists were arrested and a major plot to carry out serial explosions in Assam was foiled by security forces who seized an estimated 100 kg of the highly potent plastic explosive Neogel-90, officials Thursday said.

A police spokesperson said three militants of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) were arrested Thursday by a joint team of police and army soldiers from Tinsukia district in eastern Assam, while in a separate raid, two rebels of the same group were nabbed in Jorhat district.

“All the five ULFA militants arrested had recently sneaked into eastern Assam from camps in Myanmar with specific mission to carry out violent attacks,” a senior police official said.

Security forces also seized some weapons and explosives from the arrested rebels.

“Investigations are on to find out if there could be more militants who might have sneaked into Assam from Myanmar,” the official said.

Meanwhile, a joint of team of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers late Wednesday seized nearly 100 kg of Neogel-90 during a routine road check in the eastern Lakhimpur district.

The highly potent explosive, neatly concealed in packets, was recovered from a private vehicle.

“I would say Neogel-90 is a deadly explosive and, if used properly, could have killed a thousand people,” a senior CRPF official said requesting he not be named.

“We suspect the explosive consignment could have been procured by the NDFB (National Democratic Front of Bodoland) to carry out violent attacks,” the official said.

Neogel-90 is an ammonium nitrate-based material used just twice in terror attacks in India - once in 2007 Hyderabad twin blasts and the serial explosions in Jaipur in 2008.