MHA directs Assam to strengthen security in vulnerable areas

New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI) Rattled by the serial blasts across Assam, the Union Home Ministry Thursday decided not to pull out paramilitary troops from the state for duty in the coming assembly elections and directed the Tarun Gogoi government to further strengthen security in vulnerable areas.

The Ministry also did not rule out involvement of
groups having "external linkages" in the blasts that claimed
over 60 lives.

After the Ministry reviewed the situation at various
levels, Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta told reporters
that the state government has been directed to strengthen
security in affected and vulnerable areas.

Asked whether additional forces would be sent to the
troubled state, he said there were enough paramilitary forces
and they would be retained there and not deployed in six
poll-bound states.

He parried questions as to who could be behind the
blasts saying it could be possibly some northeast groups
having "external linkages", an apparent reference to
Bangladesh-based Harkat-ul Jehad-e-Islami (H.u.J.I.) which has
links with United Liberation Front of Asom (U.L.F.A.).

U.L.F.A. has, however, denied its involvement.

Fingers are being pointed at H.u.J.I., a banned group
which has of late become active in certain parts of Assam.

Incidents of hoisting of flags with crescent and moon
have been reported in Darrang and Udalguri districts which saw
bloody clashes between Bodo tribals and Bangladeshi immigrants
last month, though the state government has denied such
incidents.

Sources in the Ministry said Thursday's blasts could
be possible retaliation to killing of six H.u.J.I. militants
by security forces in the state.

Ahead of the meeting of the Union Cabinet, Home
Minister Shivraj Patil took stock of the situation at a
meeting attended by the Home Secretary, Intelligence Bureau
(I.B.) chief P.C. Haldar and other senior officials.

The Home Secretary said that while a team of National
Security Guard (N.S.G.) personnel had already been rushed to
Assam, another team of Home Ministry officials was on its way.

Forensic teams were out in the field to find out the
nature of the blasts to help in identification of the
perpetrators, he said.

Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in Guwahati that
he suspected the hand of U.L.F.A., a charge denied by the
banned group.

On the other hand, Gupta said the Centre was closely
coordinating with the state government to find out who could
be involved as there are several militant groups operating in
the state.

"Someone has done it. There are many groups in the state
doing such kind of activities," he said, adding that he hoped
to get a better picture in a day or two.

Patil, who was in Maharashtra earlier in the day to
attend a Sikh religious function, drove straight from the
airport to the North Block office to chair the high-level
review meeting.

Patil, who is likely to visit Assam to have a first-hand
account of the situation, also spoke to Chief Minister Gogoi
twice to know the latest before heading for the Union Cabinet
meeting.

Patil described the blasts as "cowardly acts" perpetrated
by the elements who do not want peace in Assam and the rest of
northeast.

A Home Ministry spokesman said two preliminary reports
have been sent to ministry but a detailed report is still
awaited.

A red alert has been sounded across the state and army
has also been put on alert in view of the security situation.
PTI ACB