ULFA claims responsibility for oil attack, blames SB for others

Guwahati, June 10 (UNI) The ULFA today claimed responsibility for the savage attack on oil installations of upper Asom last night but distanced itself from the bomb blasts of lower Asom blaming the intelligence agencies for that.

In an e-mailed statement, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) blamed the intelligence agencies for the serial blasts that left five dead and 25 other injured.

According to the statement, the Special Branch (SB) triggered the blast at Machkhowa(Guwahati), Nagaon, Mangaldoi, Dhubri and Golokganj.

Meanwhile, the oil operations were severely hit in the serial blast. In two landmine blasts near a tea garden in Naharkatia in Dibrugarh district, state-owned Assam Gas Company Limited's two pipelines were damaged.

The crude oil supply to Digboi Refinery, the world's oldest refinery and gas supply to Namrup Thermal Power Plant, were also hit.

The engineers were trying to limit the damage and restore the pipeline before the stock of crude and gas runs out in the two installations in the next 72 hours.

Meanwhile, the fire emanating from the pipeline suspended the train services as the rail line is close to the blast site. As a precautionary measure, NF Railway authorities have continued to suspend the train services between Lumding and Tinsukia sector.

Altogether four blasts took place at Chabua, Duliajan, Doomdooma and Naharkatiya last night. Claiming responsibility for the attack, an e-mailed statement from the ULFA said it was done to ''stop exploitation'' of natural wealth of Asom.

More UNI MT TJP PK RS1809