Republic Day celebrations disturbed by loud noise in Guwahati
What's the story
Republic Day festivities in Guwahati were marred by a loud noise on Sunday morning.
The sound reportedly came from a truck parking area near the Brahmaputra vegetable market in Beharbari.
An employee of Brahmaputra Bazar said, "It was heard around 7.45am. After we hoisted the national flag inside our compound, we heard the sound."
No injuries or property damage were reported after the incident.
Investigation update
Police investigation underway, rumors dismissed
A senior official from Assam Police Headquarters confirmed that local police are investigating the incident.
Although some locals claimed to have heard a similar noise in Rehabari, the police dismissed these reports as rumors.
The official said, "There was no injury or damage to any property."
The investigation is ongoing and further updates will be provided as they become available.
Security scare
Unattended bag causes concern, found harmless
In another incident, an unattended bag near the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) at Betkuchi created a scare. The area was immediately cordoned off and searched by an anti-sabotage team.
"We did not find anything inside it other than clothes and some ID cards," a police officer said.
The authorities suspect the bag was accidentally left behind and will return it after verifying the owner's identity.
Claim of responsibility
Banned group ULFA(I) claims responsibility for 'Blasts'
Later in the day, the banned outfit ULFA(I) emailed the press claiming responsibility for "blasts" at two locations in Guwahati.
The outfit said, "Since Guwahati is the lifeblood of Assam, a message has been sent to the people without any harm."
They also claimed, "IED blasts were carried out at many places, including Lalmati and Rehabari."
The authenticity of these claims is yet to be ascertained.
Security measures
Investigation continues, security measures heightened
Guwahati Police Commissioner Parthasarathi Mahanta said the details of "the sound" would only be known after a proper investigation.
He said, "There was a sound and a police team went there to check it... After investigation, we will be able to tell if miscreants did it."
Considering ULFA(I)'s boycott call against Republic Day celebrations, security has been tightened in Guwahati.