Assam Police have arrested a pro-talk ULFA leader and a woman in connection with the grenade blast in Guwahati.
Police also recovered a 9 mm pistol , 25 rounds of ammunition and some explosives from the rented accommodation of the woman at Panjabari area in Guwahati on Thursday.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
While the woman has been identified as Jahnabi Saikia, the pro-talk ULFA leader was identified as Pranamoy Rajguru.
The woman, who hails from upper Assam’s Amolapotty in Sivasagar, has close link with pro-talk ULFA leader Rajguru.
Police launched massive search operations in different locations in Guwahati to nab the culprits behind the incident of grenade blast on Wednesday.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Police officials said acting on a tip off, a team of city police crime branch led by Debaraj Upadhyay, joint commissioner of police, raided the house and nabbed the woman with a pistol and some explosives.
Sources said Rajguru was arrested earlier in the day from Sivasagar. According to police, Rajguru used to come to the rented accommodation of Jahnabi at Naamghar Path in Panjabari frequently.
“The investigation into the incident is progressing well and we have gathered enough information in connection with the blast,” joint commissioner Upadhyay told reporters.
He, however, refused to divulge details. “We cannot reveal much at this point of time. We will share our information with the media in the afternoon,” he said.
Pro-talk leader Rajguru has denied his involvement in the blast. “We are working for the Assamese nationality. I am not involved in it,” he told reporters.
At least 8 people were injured after a grenade blast on Wednesday evening in front of Guwahat Central, a shopping mall on the R.G. Baruah Road. Paresh Baruah, commander-in-chief of ULFA (I) called up newspaper offices, and claimed responsibility for the blast.
Within minutes of the grenade attack, all entry and exit points to Guwahati city were blocked to stop the insurgents from running away. Even on Thursday, all outgoing and incoming vehicles were thoroughly checked.
Also read: Blast rocks Guwahati, 8 injured
It was reported that two motorcycle-borne youths lobbed the grenade at the security personnel posted in front of the shopping mall, and zoomed away towards Zoo-Narengi Tiniali.
Acting on intelligence input, police suspected that the insurgents were still holed up in Guwahati, and carried out a series of cordon and search operations in different parts of the city.
Though the police have not made any official statement on the cordon and search operations across Guwahati, it has been reported that there were raids in Geetanagar, Birubari, Gandhibasti and Panjabari areas.
A team from NIA also visited the blast site, and have launched an investigation.