ULFA trigger blast in Oil installation

Guwahati, Feb 18 (UNI) The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) today triggered a bomb in an Oil Collection Spot (OCS) near Geleki of Sivsagar district, sparking massive fire forcing the people living nearby areas to flee.

Official sources here said the incident occurred at 1845 hours and till the time of filing this report, the fire had not been able to be brought under control although fire tenders of the ONGC reached from Galeki and Nazira.

Sources said at least five fire tenders were pressed into action and about 200 people were moved to safer places.

Meanwhile, lower Assam DIG of Assam Police G P Singh informed that a senior officer of the State Veterinary department was arrested for paying Rs 1.5 lakh to the ULFA.

He also said ULFA had used new recruits to carry on the extortion money to evade police.

Another ULFA linkmen Chandrasekhar Bora was also arrested from Moran area of Upper Assam.

The ULFA called for a 12-hour ''Assam Bandh'' tomorrow, demanding release of their sympathiser and Human Right leader Lachit Bardoloi.

Police said that he was an ULFA leader and his laptop contained more than 2000 e-mails from the outfit.

He was charged with hatching conspiracy with the ULFA to hijack a plane from Assam.

This was, however, stoutly denied both by ULFA as well as Mr Bardoloi, who said the State Government was deliberately fabricating the case to derail the peace process.

UNI MT SJC AB 1957