ULFA(I) claims responsibility for attack on army convoy in Assam

Guwahati, Nov 15 (IANS) Banned militant group United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA-I) on Tuesday claimed responsibility for the attack on an army convoy in Assam's Tinsukia district on Monday night.

An army convoy was fired upon by militants on the Pengeri-Digboi road in Tinsukia district at around 9.20 am on Monday, leading to retaliatory firing by the security personnel. No casualty was reported in the incident.

The outfit's self-styled Captain Rumel Asom said in a statement that the attack codenamed 'Operation Lakhipathar' was carried out to mark 'Protest Day', which the militant outfit observes on November 28.

He said: "In the operation, an anti-mine vehicle of the Army was damaged and several jawans were injured. However, the Army is trying to cover up its failure by hiding the injuries from the public."

Meanwhile, Assam police arrested a suspected linkman of the ULFA(I) from Jorhat district on Tuesday. According to police sources, the suspected linkman allegedly assisted the militants in their ambush attack on the Army convoy.

The arrested person has been identified as Maina Borgohain, who was nabbed from the Kakojan area of the district.

The defence PRO in Guwahati, Lt Col Mahendra Rawat, had informed on Monday that an army area domination party was moving on the Digboi-Pengri road when at around 9.20 am, shots were fired on the convoy from a nearby forest.

"Following swift retaliation from our troops, the terrorists ran away from the adjoining areas," he said.

He later said that specialised equipment, human intelligence, and tracker dogs have been pressed into action to trace the attackers.

The fleeing insurgents left behind batteries, wires, food items and sharp-edged weapons.

Notably, ULFA(I) observes 'Protest Day' to mark the launch of 'Operation Bajrang' against the militant outfit by the Indian Army in 1990.