Assam Police alerts OIL of possible attacks by ULFA (I)

Guwahati, Feb. 25 (PTI): Assam Police has alerted PSU major Oil India Limited (OIL) of possible attacks by the banned ULFA (I) on its installation in the state and of possible kidnapping of its officials.

The Dibrugarh superintendent of police (district special branch) in a letter to the general manager (security) of OIL at its field headquarters in Duliajan has asked the company to sensitise its officials and employees about the threat.

The letter, a copy of which is available with PTI, said that “reliable intelligence input” indicated that ULFA (I) and its supporters are planning to carry out “subversive activities” in Dibrugarh.

“They may kidnap/target men from oil installations for their vested interest,” the letter, dated February 22, said and asked OIL to alert the security components deployed at the vital installations and vulnerable strategic locations till February 28.

“Further, you are requested to augment the security of the oil rigs/workover rigs by deploying armed security guards where unarmed local security guards are presently manning,” the SP said.

The alert also suggested joint security and mobile patrolling with local police at frequent intervals to “neutralise such nefarious designs” of the outfit.

Reacting strongly to the Assam Police warning, the ULFA (I) publicity department member Rumel Asom said in a statement that the outfit does not have any such plan against OIL.

He alleged that the entire development is a result of the “vested interest” of a few top officials of Assam Police and “financial irregularities” by them are behind issuing the alert letter to the company.

On April 21, 2021 three employees of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) were kidnapped by ULFA (I) militants from the Lakwa oilfield in Sivasagar district along Assam-Nagaland border.

Two employees were rescued three days later after an encounter near the India-Myanmar border in Mon district of Nagaland, while the third was released by the militants after 31 days on May 22 in Myanmar near the border.

During the first week of April last year, two employees of the Quippo Oil and Gas Infrastructure were released by ULFA (I) after three-and-half months of their kidnap on December 21, 2020.

The duo was kidnapped from Kumchaikha hydrocarbon drilling site in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh with a demand for ransom of INR 20 crore.