NEW DELHI: A loud noise disrupted Republic Day celebrations in Guwahati on Sunday, creating anxiety amongst residents. Authorities confirmed the noise originated from the lorry parking adjacent to the Brahmaputra vegetable market in Beharbari.
"The local police are examining it," senior official from Assam Police Headquarters said.
An employee at Brahmaputra Bazar said, "It was around 7.45am. After we hoisted the national flag inside our compound, we heard the sound. We came running out. There was no injury or damage to any property."
Whilst some residents reported hearing a comparable noise in Rehabari, authorities dismissed these claims as unfounded.
In an unrelated occurrence, concern arose when an unattended bag was discovered near the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) at Betkuchi.
Security personnel cordoned off the vicinity whilst an anti-sabotage team conducted a detailed inspection.
"We did not find anything inside it other than clothes and some ID cards. Probably someone mistakenly left it. We will return the bag after proper verification of the owner," a police officer stated.
Subsequently, ULFA (I), a prohibited organisation, dispatched an e-mail to the media, accepting responsibility for "blasts" at two sites in Guwahati.
The group stated, "Since Guwahati is the lifeblood of Assam, a message has been sent to the people without any harm so that they refrain from participating in the Independence Day and Republic Day programmes in the coming days."
The communication additionally claimed that "IED blasts were carried out at many places, including Lalmati and Rehabari."
Security measures in Guwahati had been intensified recently due to ULFA(I)'s call to boycott Republic Day celebrations.
This incident follows ULFA(I)'s claim from last year's Independence Day about planting explosives at 24 locations across Assam. Authorities later discovered "bomb-like substances" at minimum 10 sites, including four in Guwahati.
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