Tinsukia (Assam), March 22 At least four security personnel were injured in an attack by militants on an Assam Police Commando camp in the Tinsukia district early on Sunday, a senior officer said.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said counter operations have been launched to apprehend those responsible for the attack.
ULFA(I) claimed responsibility for the attack in the Jagun area and said "Operation Bujoni" was carried out in retaliation against the Assam Police's repeated actions against the banned outfit, and alleged drone attacks by the Army on its camps last year.
The attack took place ahead of the state assembly elections, scheduled for April 9.
The police officer said the attack took place around 2:30 am.
The militants fired multiple rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) shells at the camp, with five of the shells exploding. Security personnel stationed at the camp immediately retaliated, leading to a brief exchange of gunfire.
The officer said the attack is suspected to have been carried out by a seven-member group, which escaped across the inter-state border with Arunachal Pradesh under the cover of darkness.
The four security personnel injured in the attack were taken to Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh for treatment.
AMCH Superintendent Dhruvajyoti Bhuyan said all the injured were out of danger and in a stable condition.
Confirming the attack, Sarma said, "An incident has occurred, and it is highly condemnable. Counter operations have been launched by the Assam Police and the Army, and we are confident that those responsible will be apprehended."
The chief minister refused to comment on ULFA(I), claiming that it was responsible for the attack.
Meanwhile, ULFA(I) in a press statement, took responsibility for the attack and said it was carried out under its "Operation Bujoni".
It maintained that the outfit had not carried out any operation against the state police as a gesture towards peace overtures of the Himanta Biswa Sarma government, after it came into power in 2021.
However, leaders, cadres and sympathisers of the outfit were targeted by the security agencies, and many of them were killed, the ULFA(I) claimed.
It also blamed the Indian Armed Forces for conducting drone and missile attacks on its mobile camps along the India-Myanmar border in July last year.
The ULFA(I) asked the state police force to "refrain from subversive activities" against the outfit, warning of retaliatory action.