Alert in Assam over bicycle bombs

Guwahati, Aug 12: Militants in Assam may use petty criminals to explode bombs concealed in bicycles ahead of Independence Day, police sources said on Wednesday.

Assam Police has sounded an alert in all districts following a warning from intelligence agencies.

"Intelligence inputs indicate that militant outfits, particularly the anti-talk faction of ULFA, is likely to plant IEDs in bicycles for causing explosion," a police note said.

"They are likely to outsource (the work to) petty criminals," it added.

The Assam government has sounded a high alert across the state.

"There have been instances of using cycles and vehicles to plant IEDs in busy areas in the past too," Director General of Police Khagen Sarma told the media on Wednesday.

He said that besides the anti-talk faction of ULFA and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), there were reports of Islamists also trying to carry out disruptive activities ahead of August 15.

Like every year, militant groups in Assam have called for a boycott of the Independence Day celebrations and a general strike that day.

IANS