Tinsukia, March 22: The banned insurgent group United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) has claimed responsibility for the late-night attack on an Assam Police commando camp in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district, describing the strike as part of a planned operation.
In a statement issued on Sunday, ULFA-I said the ambush—codenamed “Operation Bujoni”—was executed by its cadres at the Jagun 10 Mile camp. The outfit stated that it had earlier suspended offensive actions against Assam Police as a goodwill measure following the 2021 Assembly elections. However, it alleged that security forces continued operations targeting its members, including arrests, killings, and what it termed as “encounter killings.”
Terming these actions “unjustified,” the group claimed that several of its cadres had been killed, injured, or permanently disabled in various operations across districts, while others remain lodged in jail under stringent laws. It further stated that repeated warnings to avoid escalation were ignored, prompting the latest attack, which it described as a “message” against continued operations.
Despite owning the attack, ULFA-I maintained that it does not intend to target Assam Police personnel on an individual level, but warned that ongoing actions by security forces could lead to further escalation.
The attack took place in the early hours of Sunday, when assailants launched a sudden strike on the camp using 4 to 5 Rocket-Propelled Grenades, followed by gunfire. The assault left four Assam Police commandos injured.
The injured personnel have been identified as Chitranjan Mili and Debashis Bora from Jorhat, Ravi Garh from Chabua, and Jambuch Marak from Goalpara. All four were shifted to a nearby hospital, with reports indicating that three of them are in critical condition and undergoing emergency surgery.
A senior intelligence official described the incident as a serious security concern, stating that the attack appeared to be a calculated attempt to disrupt the ongoing election environment. Authorities have treated the incident as a top-priority threat, and efforts are underway to trace those involved.
Security agencies have expressed concern over the scale and precision of the attack, noting that it highlights the outfit’s continued capability to strike despite heightened deployment of forces for election duties.
Following the incident, a high alert has been sounded across Tinsukia district and adjoining interstate border areas. Intensive search and combing operations have been launched to track down the attackers.
Further updates are awaited as the investigation progresses.
