Security beefed up in Assam as militants call R-Day boycott

Guwahati, Jan 25 (PTI) Security has been tightenedthroughout Assam following a Republic Day boycott call givenby ULFA along with five other militant outfits of the NorthEast beginning at one am tomorrow.

Patrolling has been intensified in the vulnerabledistricts and additional security pickets have been posted inareas in and around vital installations of the state, officialsources said here today.

Security in railway stations and railway tracks havebeen beefed up even as night running of trains to and fromthe state have been suspended from the night of January 23 toavoid any untoward incidents.

Security in and around bus terminus, airports,refineries, oil pipelines and other major industrial unitshave also been tightened. Entry and exit of vehicles in allthe vulnerable districts of both upper and lower Assam arebeing closely monitored with all vehicles being checked.

Army helicopters are making aerial surveys of paradegrounds where official functions are scheduled to take placein all parts of the districts.

River patrolling has also been intensified to checkthe movement of suspicious persons.

The ULFA, led by its Commander in Chief Paresh Barua,had recently warned that it would strike if the government didnot stop the alleged killings of ''''innocent indigenousAssamese people''''.

The outfit also joined other militant organisationsof the North East in calling for a boycott of Republic Daycelebrations and a general strike from one am to 5.30 pmtomorrow.