The role of Assam police has been under immense scrutiny since Independence Day. The ULFA (I), notorious for marring this occasion in the past with bomb blasts, surfaced again after staying away for years. Just days after ULFA's latest bomb threat, Assam was hit by a whirlwind of financial scams surfacing from every corner of the state.
Notably, the ULFA (I), the surviving faction of the militant group planted numerous bombs across various locations of the state. However, the planned explosions did not happen allegedly due to technical snags, after which a search for the bombs was launched. The lapse on part of Assam police on the occasion of Independence Day, arguable when security measures are at their peak, put the entire police force under the scanner. Only days after that, the entire state was rocked by a sudden discovery of financial scams orchestrated by individuals who looted the public.
Assam Director General of Police Gyanendra Pratap Singh addressed both cases and gave an update of the investigations when courted by reporters today on the occasion of Assam Police Divas.
After the proscribed group released a mail stating their plan did not go through and informed the locations, a frantic search for the planted explosives began. Parallely, a manhunt for those involved in planting the bombs also began with arrests following.
The Assam DGP today said that everyone arrested since the I-Day bomb scare have confessed. He said the case is based on technical evidences meaning conviction is certain. "I don’t have the data currently with me, however, all suspects we arrested, have confessed. We have technical evidence based on which they were arrested. All I want to say is that we have to come together as a society to help preserve the peace that is prevailing in Assam."
"Those involved in planting explosives, are overground workers or linkmen of ULFA living in Assam. I have been seeing the evidences almost everyday and based on my extensive NIA experience, I can say that they will be definitely convicted. They are unnecessarily wasting their lives. I want to tell anyone still looking to join such groups to stay away," he said.
GP Singh asserted that a life of crime will always incur Assam police's action, saying, "They way we are conducting investigations, cracking cases and collecting evidence, it has led to conviction rate rising. We have taken help from central agencies so they [anti-social elements] should stay away and not disrupt the peace in Assam unnecessarily, and if they do so, we will take action," he said.
A string of financial scams came to the fore only after DB Stock Broking's proprietor Dipankar Barman went on the run having duped his investors. Although the police made a breakthrough in other cases, Barman remains at large.
GP Singh, when questioned on it said, "How many days will they be on the run? They will return. As I had said previously, these cases are based on technical evidences. Whoever it is, they will be in police’s grasp soon. No one will be able to escape."
"Who gave the money, there is digital evidence, where it has been invested, we have evidence. And now when we are all working together, CBI, ED, Income tax, etc., there is no way they can escape. They will be caught and convicted," he added.
Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya congratulated everyone on the occasion and commended the state police force for their good work.
"I am fortunate to be part of the 74th Assam Police Divas parade. I am happy that Assam police has stood strong in the face of challenges and is today a glorious organization serving the people with their trust. Today, I want to congratulate every police jawan, officials of the force, and the state government for the good work in establishing a favourable image of Assam police among the people. Assam police’s exceptional work has gone into record books. Once again I would like to congratulate the people, and the jawans on this occasion," he said.