From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: In view of the sudden spurt in extremist activities in the State that has witnessed a series of grenade explosions including one that rocked the heart of Guwahati on Sunday night, the administration has banned pillion riding on two-wheelers in the city as well as the entire Kamrup Metropolitan district round the clock with immediate effect under the provisions of the Section 144 CrPC.
Additional District Magistrate, Dhrubajyoti Das informed that the restriction had been imposed in view of certain elements trying to create unrest and communal disharmony in the society by resorting to unlawful activities such as intimidation, extortion, explosion and thereby causing harm to a larger section of the population.
He also pointed out that extremist elements were using two wheeled vehicles to cause subversive activities including throwing of grenades at members of public and security forces thereby causing loss of life and property.
The order said that certain restrictions needed be imposed for the safety, security and maintenance of public peace and tranquility.
However, there are few exceptions like – persons above the age of 60, ailing persons travelling to and fro from any hospital, persons of police and armed forces in uniform, physically handicapped and school children in uniform.
Any person aggrieved by this order is, however, at liberty to appear before this court for filing their written objection, if any, within 15 days from Monday.
PTI adds: Prohibitory orders in Cachar
Earlier, prohibitory orders were declared in Cachar district by the administration. The Bongaigaon district authority also prohibited general movement of the public under the Section 144 of the CrPC.
Last week, prohibitory orders was promulgated in Kamrup district with immediate effect.
At least 15 people were injured, two of them seriously, in a grenade blast by suspected ULFA(I) militants on Sunday night at the busy Paltan Bazar area of Guwahati city near the railway station. This was the fifth such case in the state in a week. Last week, six persons were injured in a grenade blast at a busy market area at Bokolia town in Karbi Anglong district. Suspected anti-talk ULFA faction triggered three serial grenade blasts in Lakhimpur district injuring five persons in the high security Deputy Commissioner Court road, Jail Road and Chawlkhowa areas.
Police have arrested four persons, including an ULFA cadre and three surrendered members of the outfit in connection with the Lakhimpur incident. Another militant, who was given the task to carry out a blast in Dibrugarh has surrendered.
Gogoi blames ULFA(I)
Assam Chief Minister said ULFA(I) had carried out the blasts on Sunday night with help from outside agencies and directed officials to take necessary steps to prevent such incidents.
Gogoi admitted that there must have been some security lapse “otherwise the blast would not have taken place”.
“Outside agencies do not want development in Assam and as such are pressuring insurgent outfits active in the state to carry out such blasts…If there is development in Assam, the problem of unemployment will end and youth will not join any insurgent outfit. As a result, these outside forces will lose ground,” he told reporters at Mariani.
Director General of Police Jayanta Narayan Choudhury told newsmen at the blast site here that ULFA(I) top leader Drishti Rajkhowa was the mastermind of the blast.
“We got intelligence inputs that Paresh Barua-led ULFA(I) may carry out subversive activties in the run-up to Independence Day,” he said.
Noting that the grenade thrown yesterday was of Chinese make, he said, “Chinese ones are easily available and their casings are made of plastic. Because of that the blast was less intense.”