Asom hots up, Army-ULFA intensify attacks

Guwahati, Nov 10 (UNI) Asom was tense with both Army and ULFA stepping up their activities creating panic throughout the state.

According to official sources, the Army today resumed full-scale operations against the ULFA in the wake of increasing violence in the state.

On the other hand, the ULFA attacked a CRPF convoy, injuring jawans near Sadiya and threw grenade at the residence of the Superintendent of Police at Nagaon this evening.

A spokesman of the Army's Four Corps, based in Tezpur, told newsmen that the Army, aided by police and paramilitary forces, had launched a full-scale operation against the ULFA in various parts of Asom.

The Army spokesman said additional companies of paramilitary forces, including those of the CRPF, had been rushed to ''vulnerable areas dominated by the ULFA.'' He said the operations, launched in various ULFA-dominated areas of the state, particularly in upper Assam, followed the Centre's directive and Sunday's twin blasts in Guwahati in which 14 people were killed.

Meanwhile, the ULFA was also on full offensive regardless of the Army operation. They dared to throw grenade at the highly secured residence of the Superintendent of Police. However, there was no casualty in the incident.

The decision to launch the operations followed a visit by Union Home Secretary V K Duggal, who held a high-level meeting here on Tuesday to review the law and order situation with top Army, paramilitary and government officials.

The ULFA today literally dared the security forces and attacked the CRPF convoy at Amrapura near Sadiya. The vehicle took the full impact of the blast and as a result the jawans were injured.

The spokesman said the recent suspension of Army operations against the ULFA had helped it regroup and ''engage in stepped up violence in the state''.

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