A loud sound was heard in Guwahati on Sunday amidst Republic Day celebrations, causing panic among the residents. The noise originated from the truck parking near the Brahmaputra vegetable market in the Beharbari area, according to the police.
"The local police are currently investigating the source of the sound," stated a senior official from Assam Police Headquarters. An employee of Brahmaputra Bazar recounted, "It was around 7.45 am. After we raised the national flag within our compound, we heard the sound. We immediately rushed outside. Fortunately, there were no injuries or damages reported."
Although some locals claimed to have heard a similar sound in Rehabari, the police dismissed it as a rumor. Simultaneously, an unattended bag near the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) at Betkuchi caused alarm among the public.
Law enforcement personnel swiftly sanitized the area and conducted a thorough search with the assistance of an anti-sabotage team. "The bag only contained clothes and some ID cards. It seems like an inadvertent mistake. We will ensure proper verification of the owner before returning it," assured a police officer.
Later in the day, the banned ULFA (I) allegedly sent an email to the media, claiming responsibility for "blasts" in Guwahati. The group stated that the explosions were intended as warnings to discourage participation in future Independence Day and Republic Day events. The email mentioned IED blasts in various locations, including Lalmati and Rehabari.
Guwahati has been heavily guarded in recent days due to a boycott call by ULFA(I) against Republic Day festivities. Last year, the security apparatus faced embarrassment when the group threatened bombings in 24 locations across Assam for Independence Day. Subsequently, police discovered "bomb-like substances" in at least ten areas, with four located in Guwahati.
