Two IEDs found in Guwahati ahead of Narendra Modi's day-long visit; Assam Police arrests suspected cadre of ULFA(I)

Guwahati: One suspected anti-talk ULFA(I) cadre was arrested on Thursday for planting two improvised explosive devices in the state capital ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s day-long visit to Assam. Modi is scheduled to visit Assam on Friday and address a public rally at Kokrajhar after the Bodo peace agreement, which was signed in New Delhi on 27 January. [caption id=“attachment_4638251” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Guwahati Police Commissioner Munna Prasad Gupta told PTI that the two IEDs were found in the busy Paltanbazar and Panbazar areas of the city late on Wednesday night. “The bomb squad took the IEDs away from the populous location and those were detonated safely later. We suspect it is the handiwork of ULFA(I),” he added. The police team immediately launched an operation and arrested one suspected cadre of ULFA(I), Gupta said. To queries whether these bombs were planted targeting Modi’s visit to the state, Gupta said, “We cannot say immediately that the IEDs were planted targeting to the PM’s visit. We are investigating”. Police had recovered another five IEDs from Panikhaiti area, near here on the same day. Modi during his visit to Assam has no programme in the city. He will reach the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport here from Delhi and leave for Kokrajhar by a chopper. On the way back he will reach the airport here by a chopper and leave for the national capital in the plane, officials said.