Guwahati, Feb 29 (IANS) A day after a grenade blast, Union Minister of State for Home M. Ramachandran Wednesday reviewed the law and order situation in Assam with Governor J.B. Patnaik and top police officers of the state.
Suspected militants triggered a grenade blast at Ganeshguri area of Guwahati Tuesday evening and injured two persons.
The union minister, however, termed his visit as a routine one and said he is also visiting other states of the region.
“It is basically a routine trip. I am visiting other states of the northeast region too. I am going to Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya Thursday,” said Ramachandran.
Assam Director General of Police J.N. Choudhury, after emerging from the high-level meeting, pointed to the anti-talk faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) militants led by Paresh Baruah for Tuesday’s blast.
“They (the militants) are trying to make their presence felt by triggering the blast,” said the DGP, adding that it was necessary for them to make their presence felt to continue their extortion drives.
“We have received some leads regarding Tuesday’s blast. We are hopeful that the culprits behind the blast will be booked soon,” said the police chief. He added that he had taken up various issues of the state with the union minister, including the demand for proper police housing and the need for a special rehabilitation package for surrendered militants in Assam.
“The minister has assured me that all the issues raised in the meeting will be looked into,” Choudhury said.
Another senior official involved in the inquiry of Tuesday’s blast, on condition of anonymity, said that police have tracked the vehicle from where the grenade was lobbed in Ganeshguri.
The Guwahati police have also detained several persons for their alleged links with the blast.
“The militants have used a carrier in the blast. And it was a Mizo youth who drove the Tata Safari vehicle, from where the grenade was lobbed,” said the official, adding that the youth would be booked soon.
