Pakistan agencies pressurising ULFA for action: Assam DGP Jayanta Narayan Choudhury

GUWAHATI: Pakistan agencies are pressurising Paresh Barua-led ULFA faction for "action" and the two recent grenade blasts in Assam are a result of this, according to state Director General of Police Jayanta Narayan Choudhury.

"We have intelligence inputs that agencies in Pakistan are putting pressure on the Paresh Barua-led ULFA to carry out subversive activties in the run-up to Independence Day", Choudhury told a local news channel here today.

''There is constant pressure on ULFA to act and the outfit is also keen to prove that they exist as a force in the state and that they can do something subversive", he said.

Choudhury, however, pointed out it may not necessarily be the government of Pakistan but "certain agencies" and officials there are exerting pressure on Barua.

The ULFA 'Commander-in-Chief' Paresh Barua has sent about ten to twelve boys to the state with the task of exploding grenades and the recent serial blasts in Lakhimpur followed by the one in Karbi Anglong are a part of this operation, the DGP said.

There is an intelligence report that more blasts may take place in the run-up to August 15 with Guwahati being a "natural target".

The police have already arrested four persons, including an ULFA cadre and three surrendered members of the outfit in connection with the Lakhimpur while another militant, who was given the task of carrying out a blast in Dibrugarh, has already surrendered.

Security in vulnerable areas along and main 'chowk' points have been tightened with checking and patrolling intensified while intelligence has been geared up.

CCTVs have already been installed in 91 locations in Guwahati and there are plans to increase it in more areas, particularly in high-security zones like in and around the capital complex in Dispur.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has convened a high-level security meeting this evening, official sources said here.