Police link Bokakhat grenade attack to poaching crackdown, not militancy

Bokakhat, June 24: Three Assam Police personnel sustained injuries in a grenade explosion on Tuesday evening at the Panbari area in Bokakhat, Golaghat district.

The blast, which caused widespread panic among local residents, occurred at around 8:20 pm and targeted the 11th Battalion Assam Police camp, formerly occupied by CRPF forces.

The injured officers have been identified as Siddhartha Borbora, Sushil Bhumij, and Mintu Hazarika.

All three were immediately rushed to Shahid Kamal Miri Civil Hospital in Bokakhat and are currently undergoing treatment.

Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, who represents the Bokakhat constituency, visited the injured personnel at the hospital and condemn the cowardly act.

Expressing concern, he said, "Our police force is working tirelessly to maintain order, and such attacks will not deter our resolve."

Speaking to the press shortly after the blast, Golaghat Superintendent of Police, Rajen Singh, confirmed that splinters and suspicious materials were recovered from the site.

While a militant angle has not been ruled out entirely, Singh pointed toward a more localised motive.

"We are not seeing signs of involvement from any militant outfit at this stage. Based on recent arrests and the crackdown on poaching and drugs, we believe the blast may be a retaliatory act by frustrated elements involved in these crimes," he said.

Singh added, “Over the past months, more than 50 poachers have been arrested, two killed in encounters, and 11 illegal arms seized, including an AK-56. Our operations have severely hit poaching and drug trafficking in the region. This may be an act of revenge by those networks.”

Assam Police have launched a full-scale investigation under the supervision of the Sub-Divisional Police Officer.

A massive manhunt is underway to track down the perpetrators and two individuals have been reportedly detained for questioning based on early leads.

Earlier, locals claim to have seen two individuals on a bike throw a suspicious object near the camp, which resulted in a loud explosion and a cloud of dense white smoke.

'We were preparing dinner when a bike sped past. Suddenly, there was a loud blast. Usually, after cooking, we sit outside near that very spot to escape the heat, if we had been there, we might not have survived. There are about 18 of us staying in this camp, and we were sent here for duty in the tea garden areas,” an Assam police personnel stationed at the camp, who narrowly escaped injury, told the press.

Meanwhile, checkpoints have been installed across Bokakhat and surrounding areas as part of the heightened security protocol. This incident has once again cast a shadow on the safety situation in the Northeast.

Notably, the incident comes just a day after the United States issued a travel advisory, cautioning its citizens against visiting parts of the region “due to terrorism and violence”.