Nine injured in IED explosion in Tinsukia

GUWAHATI: Suspected militants on Thursday exploded improvised explosion (IED) in Assam’s commercial township of Tinsukia in Upper Assam.

A senior police officer told ET, “We suspect the hand of militants behind the incident, investigation is on.”

Tinsukia district is the stronghold of anti talk ULFA militants under defiant commander in chief Paresh Baruah. On Thursday an explosion took outside the residence of the owner of Tea estate in Guijan. However no one was injured.

On Wednesday a hardcore ULFA militant was killed in an encounter with security forces in Tinsukia. Acting on specific information, a team of army personnel launched a search operation in Talpathar village and an encounter took place in which the militant was killed.

The slain militant has been identified as self-styled Sergeant Major Rongmon Asom alias Mecuri and an AK-81 assault rifle along with a magazine and some other items were recovered from the encounter spot. According to security forces he was actively involved in killing/extortion activities in the area.

The police officer, " The attack might be in retaliation. However we will have investigate the same."