In a major preemptive action, the NIA in a joint operation with the Assam Police on Monday seized a powerful IED besides explosives from a train compartment in Kamroop with the Central agency pointing out that contraband was to be used to target the DGPs/IGPs conference to be held in Guwahati later this month.
The conference will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh besides top police brass of the country, including the Director of the Intelligence Bureau.
Based on intelligence inputs collected by NIA that explosive material and IED were being transported for planning attacks in Assam and the same were being transported by the Alipur-Duar-Kamakhya Inter-City Express, the Assam Police was alerted and a joint search operation was undertaken, the NIA said in a statement.
Prompt action resulted in the recovery of one unclaimed IED and explosive material, weighing about 5 kgs was recovered from the toilet of the 4th compartment of the train at 10.46 am on Monday when the train was at Kendukana railway station, near Rangia, district Kamroop.
“It is learnt that the explosives were meant to be used during the period when a high-level conference was scheduled to be held. Follow up search operation and safe disposal of the IED are being undertaken,” the statement added.
NIA DG Sharad Kumar said the IED and explosives were probably being transported to target the DGPs conference.
Superintendent of Police, Government Railway Police Rounak Ali Hazarika said that the bomb was spotted by the security personnel on duty from the Intercity express that runs between the Alipurduar in Bengal and Kamakhya junction in Guwahati. “The train was halted at Kendukona railway station in Kamrup district around 12 noon. It was hidden in an unclaimed bag placed near the toilet of a compartment,” he said.
“It was a powerful IED weighing over 5 kgs and it was being taken to Guwahati,” he said. While the Prime Minister is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of a new railway line and address a party meeting on November 29, he is also expected to address the All India DGP’s conference on November 30 in Guwahati, the Union Home Minister will inaugurate the conference on November 29 at the Administrative Staff College in Guwahati.
Meanwhile, the Intelligence Bureau has issued an alert saying the banned UlFA is planning to carry out attacks on BJP leaders and non-Assamese people.