People from all walks of life in Assam on Friday remembered the victims of the serial blasts that had rocked the state on this day last year. However, prime accused in the serial blasts, the chairman of the banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland Ranjan Daimary alias D R Nabla, is still absconding and suspected to be hiding in a foreign country.
According to the charge-sheet of the Central Bureau of Investigation filed before the Court of Special Judicial Magistrate, Nabla had planned the serial blasts. The CBI charge-sheet also names 18 other accused.
Six of the accused -- Ajay Basumatary, Nilim Daimary, Prabhat Boro, Jayanti Brahma, Raju Sarkar, and Mridul Goyari -- have been arrested. The accused who continue to elude the law are Arun Borgayary alias Dinthilang, George Boro alias John, Jitu Daimary, Tarun Swargiary, Khargeswar Basumatary alia Rahul Brahma, Tensu Narzary alia Thungri Boro, Dinesh Boro, Uttam Swargiary alias Ulafat and Rajen Goyari alias Rifikhang.
According to the charge-sheet, the final order for triggering the devastating blasts were issued on October 19, 2008, following a meeting at Jhoraguri in Kokrajhar district, at the residence of Dinthilang alias Arun Borgoyary alias Kabin, self-styled armed wing chief of the NDFB.
The meeting was attended by many NDFB cadres including Ulafat, Rifkang Goyari, George alias John, Rahul Brahma alias Kharmswar and Ajoy Basumatary alias Aogai.
Ground work for the blasts started in July 2008, when the three Maruti 800 cars used in the three blasts in Guwahati, were bought.
The NDFB chairman sent one Nilim Daimary from Bangladesh to Assam with instructions to procure explosives with the help of G Songswar, an NDFB cadre from Udaiguri district in Assam. Nilim was later arrested in Meghalaya and explosives were procured by some others cadres of the outfit who had received training in Bangladesh.
During a meeting on October 19, Ulafat was directed to trigger the blast at Bongaigoan and Kokrajhar, Rifkhang,
George was assigned to carry out the blasts in Barpeta and Ganeshguri respectively. Rahul Brahma alias Kharmswar was given the responsibility to bomb the CJM court Complex and Panbazar in Guwahati.
Finally, Prabhat Boro and Raju Sarkar triggered the Ganeshguri blast, which caused the maximum damage to lives and property.
According to the CBI findings, the militants used RDX and ammonium nitrate to trigger the blasts at Ganeshguri, CJM court and Panbazar in Guwahati. Trinitrotoluene was used in all the three blasts in Kokrajhar and the blast in Bongaigaon. The two blasts in Barpeta were triggered with the help of RDX.
The CBI investigation also revealed that Ajay Basumatary alias Aogai came to Guwahati from Bangladesh on October 13 after having received arms and explosives training in Bangladesh for over two months. The CBI, during the course of the investigation, questioned more than 800 witnesses, while completing the probe in record time.
The CBI was handed over the case from the Special Investigation Team of the Assam police. The serial blasts had rocked three sites in Guwahati, two places in Kokrajhar, Barpeta Road and Bongaigaon, killing 90 persons and injuring over 540 on October 30 last year.
