In a major success against the NSCN(K) militants, police and security forces deployed in Assam’s Cachar district on Tuesday foiled a plan of the Naga militant faction to blow up the Sadarghat bridge, a major bridge that connects Assam’s Barak Valley to Manipur.
Four people, who were supposed to execute the plan on behalf of the militants, were arrested and explosives to be used in the explosion were also seized. “We have raided a house at a remote location near Silchar on the wee hours on Tuesday and seized one IED, detonators and 60 gelatin sticks. We have also detained the four,” said Cachar Superintendent of Police Rajveer.
“later, they confessed that they had given shelter to two NSCN(K) militants who were planning to blow up the bridge on Barak River. The four were supposed to plant the explosives on the bridge,” the SP said, adding that the explosion could have affected the people in Manipur, particularly those in Imphal Valley cutting off its supply line through the NH-53.
He said that the police have carried out the operation jointly with the Assam Rifles. “The interrogation of the four arrested is on and we are trying to get more details if they are involved with some terror outfits,” said the SP.
The Sadarghat bridge is one of the major bridges over Barak River which connects Silchar town in the Valley with Imphal in Manipur through National Highaway-53. It is the only connectivity route of the Barak Valley with the people of Dima hasao district in Assam.