From Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI: A raging inferno that broke out at a high-security Oil Collection Centre (OCS) gutted two oil tankers at Tipling near the headquarter of Oil India Limited (OIL) at Duliajan in Dibrugarh district of Assam at 2-30 on Friday afternoon.
The anti-talks faction of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) in a prompt e-mailed statement to the media claimed responsibility for the fire at the OCS saying that it was an action on part of the outfit in protest against exploitation of natural resources of Assam.
However, the OIL authorities firmly claimed that it was an fire which was later brought under control after two oil tankers had been damaged in the fire.
It also said the fire was being investigated.
The district administration too called it an accident ruling out any subversion behind it. Locals at Tipling said sound of three explosions were heard just before the fire broke out at the OCS.
The OIL authorities immediately swung into action to minimise the damage due to the inferno in the OCS. A large number of oil tankers were stationed at the OCS at the time of incident and most of those could be removed immediately even as police and paramilitary forces cordoned off the area. A large number of locals from Tipling area rushed out of their homes to safety after being terrified by the raging inferno. The raging flames has left a huge mass of smoke and gas.
Senior police and civil officials rushed to the spot from the district headquarter at Dibrugarh after the fire broke out near the OIL headquarter at Duliajan.