Police foil Republic Day attack plan in Duliajan, arrest 4 with explosives, arms

Dibrugarh, Jan. 5: In a major breakthrough, police have arrested four members of a gang, who were allegedly planning to carry out an attack on oil installations in Duliajan on Republic Day.

Additional Superintendent of Police Nirmal Ghosh said that one 7.6mm pistol, live ammunition, 11 mobile phones, 18 SIM cards, Rs 49,500 in cash, an improvised explosive device and a battery were recovered from one of the accused identified as Bitupan Gogoi.

The other arrested accused have been identified as Bharat Hazari from Tengakhat, Bolin Gogoi alias Dhon from Duliajan and Binod Paharia from Itakhuli Tea Estate in Tinsukia district.

Ghosh, however, made it clear that police have not found links of the accused with any banned outfit.

The breakthrough came during the investigation of a case pertaining to extortion registered at the Duliajan Police Station. According to Ghosh, three traders in Duliajan had received extortion calls from unknown phone numbers.

The police first picked up Bharat Hazari from Tengakhat in connection with the extortion case. Based on Hazari's confession, Bolin Gogoi and Bitupan Gogoi were apprehended. On the basis of Bitupan's statement, Binod Paharia was arrested from Itakhuli, said Ghosh.

A case (no. 2/25) has been registered against the accused at the Duliajan Police Station under sections 10, 13 and 17 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act.

"The gang has more members and efforts are on to arrest all of them. This group of criminals is not associated with the ULFA (I) or any other banned outfit. They extort money by posing as ULFA members. The accused are involved in various criminal activities and several cases are registered against them in the neighbouring districts. They were planning to launch an attack on oil installations in Duliajan," Ghosh told the press in Dibrugarh.

- By Staff Correspondent