Guwahati, August 8:

Assam today sounded a maximum security alert after rebels triggered a series of explosions, killing four people, blowing up oil and gas pipelines, power installations and railway tracks in the state. A government spokesman said there were eight explosions and two grenade attacks yesterday. Two more explosions took place on Saturday in Guwahati. “We have put army, police and paramilitary soldiers on high alert and the troops are conducting a massive hunt across the state to nab militants responsible for the serial blasts,” Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said. “The attacks are nothing but attempts at creating chaos and terrorising people ahead of Independence Day,” Assam inspector general of police Khagen Sharma said.

“We had reports that the ULFA would target vital installations and security forces beginning Saturday and they have done it.” A police official said militants blew up a gas pipeline yesterday in eastern Assam’s Dibrugarh district. In separate incidents, two power transformers were blown up in eastern Jorhat district plunging the city into darkness. Militants

also blew up a railway track in the western Bongaigaon district yesterday. Another blast took place at a government officers housing colony in Lakhimpur, though there were no casualties.