In a significant breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Jahnu Baruah, an operative of the banned militant outfit ULFA (I), for planting Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Guwahati during the 2024 Independence Day celebrations. The arrest, carried out on December 16, follows months of meticulous investigation into ULFA (I)’s terror activities in Assam. Acting on intelligence inputs, the NIA, with support from the Assam Police, conducted a pre-dawn raid at Baruah’s residence in Dibrugarh. Several incriminating materials, including digital devices, were seized during the operation. The items are now being analyzed for further leads. Baruah, who also goes by the alias Arnab Axom, was subsequently summoned for questioning at a local police facility, where he reportedly confessed to his involvement.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Baruah was responsible for planting four of the 11 IEDs recovered by Assam Police during the Independence Day celebrations. The explosives were strategically placed at key locations, including Pan Bazar, Dispur, Gandhi Mandap, and Satgaon in Guwahati, as part of a larger plan to incite fear and disrupt the celebrations. The act was allegedly carried out under instructions from ULFA (I) chief Paresh Baruah, who had issued a video warning ahead of Independence Day, calling for a boycott of the celebrations and threatening severe consequences for non-compliance.
Baruah’s movements had been under surveillance for several weeks, with investigators closely monitoring his activities. Technical and human intelligence identified him as a key player in the collection, transportation, and planting of the IEDs. The NIA took over the case from the Assam Police on September 17, uncovering that the operation was orchestrated by senior ULFA (I) leaders, including Aishang Asom, alias Abhijit Gogoi. The timely detection and recovery of the IEDs averted potential large-scale destruction and loss of life in Assam. Officials confirmed that investigations are ongoing, with efforts underway to track down other operatives and dismantle the network involved in the plot.
