In a significant breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) apprehended Jahnu Baruah, alias Arnab Axom, a key operative of the proscribed militant group ULFA(I), for his involvement in a bomb blast plot targeting Assam during Independence Day celebrations.
Baruah was presented before the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Dibrugarh on Tuesday, which granted his transit remand to the NIA. He has since been moved to the agency’s Guwahati office for further investigation.
The arrest followed an intelligence-led operation conducted in the early hours of Monday by NIA teams, with support from Assam Police.
During a raid on Baruah’s residence in Dibrugarh, officials seized several incriminating materials, including digital devices, which are currently being analyzed.
Preliminary interrogations revealed Baruah’s direct involvement in the planting of four of the 11 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) recovered by Assam Police on Independence Day.
The explosives were strategically placed at key locations in Guwahati, including Pan Bazar, Dispur, Gandhi Mandap, and Satgaon, to execute ULFA(I)’s agenda of disrupting the celebrations and spreading fear.
The bomb plot was part of ULFA(I)’s broader “military protest” and boycott call, issued through a video by the group’s self-styled commander-in-chief, Paresh Baruah. In the video, ULFA(I) had warned of severe consequences for those who defied the boycott.
NIA investigations indicate that the explosives were planted under instructions from top ULFA(I) leaders, including Aishang Asom, alias Abhijit Gogoi. Jahnu Baruah, who had been under surveillance for several weeks, was instrumental in transporting and placing the IEDs.
The case, initially handled by Assam Police, was transferred to the NIA on September 17, as part of a larger crackdown on ULFA(I)’s subversive activities in the region. This arrest marks a significant step in unraveling the militant group’s operational network and its plans. Further interrogations are expected to provide deeper insights into ULFA(I)’s infrastructure and strategies.
The NIA’s swift action underscores its commitment to countering insurgency and ensuring security in Assam, particularly during significant national events.