Assam govt confirms Bangladesh link in serial blasts

Guwahati, Nov 18 (UNI) The Assam government today confirmed the Bangladesh link in the October 30 serial blasts with the state DGP expected to come up with a formal statement next week during a DGP-level meet in New Delhi.

'' All militancy in Assam is basically controlled from Bangladeshi soil and it is already self-evident. The blasts were clearly planned by elements sheltered in the neighbouring country, '' Assam government spokesperson and Cabinet Minister Pradyut Bordoloi said here.

He, however, refrained from naming any group associated with the blast and said, '' The investigation is progressing in full force and we are heading towards a logical end. '' '' It will be speculative to disclose without substantial evidence as investigations proceed with a trial and error method and wrong people could be indicted, '' he added.

To the possibility of Maoist groups involvement in the blasts, Mr Bordoloi pointed that the principle Maoist force in Nepal had already entered the democratic process and it had disassociated with the armed struggle.

He did not rule out the possibility of involvement of splinter groups but hinted that it was a remote possibility.

Meanwhile, the Assam Police DG is expected to place its first official concrete statement regarding the progress of investigation in the serial blasts in the state in the DGP-level meet in New Delhi next week, an SIB source informed.

The source informed that the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB) here had also collected evidence on the involvement of local outfits in executing the blasts.

The blasts wouldn't have been possible without the local hand and that was being conclusively established, he added.

However, the identity of the third force behind the blasts, which had probably supplied the blueprint and explosives, was yet to be ascertained, the source said.

''Jehadis'' could be involved, but again, a totally new enemy could emerge as was found in the Malegaon blasts, he added.

Police had refrained from making any formal statement so far, except informing about arrests and detentions, as revealing evidence before the case was solved could hamper investigations.

The government had already confirmed the involvement of the ULFA and NDFB in executing the blasts and was probing the third force angle.

Meanwhile, the toll in the serial blasts had risen to 88 with another victim succumbing today.

One Rinku Das of Nalabri, injured in the Barpeta Road blast, succumbed here.

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