Dibrugarh/Guwahati, July 28: Assam police today unearthed an Ulfa plot to replicate the 2004 Dhemaji blasts across parade grounds in the state during official functions to celebrate Independence Day.

Ten schoolchildren were among 13 people who were killed in the August 15 blast at Dhemaji during the 2004 Independence Day celebrations.

The plot, according to police sources, was unearthed today, after two arrested Ulfa militants were interrogated by Sivasagar police and Guwahati police grilled two others. The four insurgents were arrested in separate operations yesterday.

In a special operation conducted by Sivasagar police late last night, two hardcore Ulfa activists — self-styled corporal Amal Bora and self-styled lance corporal Moneswar Payeng from the outfit’s 28 Battalion — were arrested from Mahmora Konwargaon village under Kakotibari police station in Sivasagar district.

Sivasagar police sources said the arrested duo had revealed that the self-styled commanding officer of the 28 Battalion, Prabal Neog, had issued special orders to the lower echelons to carry out blasts at parade grounds in Upper Assam. Similarly, in Guwahati, the police said the duo confessed that they had sneaked into the city from Darrang district to trigger an explosion at Judges Field during the official Independence Day function.

The militants, identified as Ridumsa Mushahary alias Siphung and Uday Das, were arrested by security forces from Garobasti under Dispur police station. Three bombs, a switch of a timer explosive device, two detonators and mobile phones were seized from them. The police have beefed up security arrangements around Judges Field, which is being scanned by metal detectors and dog squads for explosives. All parade grounds in Upper Assam are being scanned in a similar manner.

Ulfa militants had carried out two back-to-back explosions at Judges Field during the official Republic Day function on January 26, 2005.

“We had received information that Ulfa is desperately trying to break through the security net through bomb or grenade attacks during the Independence Day function. They wish to gain maximum publicity since any attack during such events catches the eye of the national and international media,” a senior police official said. The army is conducting special aerial surveys to pinpoint Ulfa hideouts in different reserve forests.