Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Guwahati, January 08 2009:
A JOINT team of Assam police and Army on Thursday evening shot dead Pranjal Deka alias Biju Sarania, the alleged mastermind of three blasts that rocked the Guwahati city on January 1.The encounter took place at Hilakuchi village in Lower Assam 's Bagsa district and one unidentified accomplice of Deka was also killed in the encounter, police said.
The three blasts at three different places in the city on January 1 killed six persons and injured over 50 others.
"The joint team of Army and police launched a combing operation in the area following a tip off on Thursday afternoon and at 6..45 pm the two militants, who were hiding in a house could be gunned down," said the police sources adding that the slain accomplice of the 1/1 blast mastermind is yet to be identified.
Deka was a member of the 709 battalion of the Ulfa, which is operative particularly in the Lower Assam districts, Police added.
Another cadre of the 709 battalion, identified as Sanjib Talukder supplied the explosives to Deka, who later planted the bombs in the city.
A day after the blast, Union Home minister P Chidambaram while visiting the state claimed that the police have already identified the mastermind of the blasts and added that the police would make a breakthrough very soon.