ARSON ATTACK AT JAGUN
FROM A CORRESPONDENT
DIGBOI, Jan 17: Several revelations surfaced after Tuesday’s arson attack by suspected ultras at Jagun along mphai-mchik Road, involving the torching of 8 oil tankers of Oil India Limited. While the Assam Police suspects the banned outfit NSCN(K) to be behind the attack, sources attribute extortion bid by the militants to be its motive.
A top official of OIL Eastern Asset Digboi, on condition of anonymity, regretted that the attack took place despite OIL authority bearing huge expense to the tune of several lakh rupees annually for securing a team of 15 armed personnel from Assam Police to be deputed from Jagun to Kharsang Oilfields for escorting oil tankers and protection of oil properties and staff during transportation. The cost of the escorting vehicles for the armed security personnel was also borne separately by the oil industry after similar attacks were perpetrated in the same militancy-affected belt in 2007 wherein several oil tankers were set on fire and a tanker driver was killed.
Admitting security lapse as one of the reasons that made the arson attack possible, the OIL official said that the highly inflammable crude oil in the tankers was safe while 8 out of 10 tankers were torched partially in different degrees.
The eight tankers/bowsers (with license plate numbers AS23-BC-2691, AS01-GC-7192, NL08-A-8269, AS22-C-3937, AS01-DD-4257, AS01-DC-9357, AS23-BC-5402 and AS06-AC-1593) were carrying JVC crude from Kharsang to Digboi to be refined when the arson attack occurred. Two tankers AS04-AC-4735 and AS01-DC-9357 escaped the attack.
Sources from security forces informed that a counter-insurgency operation has been intensified across the inter-State border between Changlang district of Aruchal Pradesh and Tinsukia district of Upper Assam, known for thick vegetation cover and several streams providing safe hideouts to millitants.
Meanwhile, vehicle drivers and contractors expressing anger at the lax security, have demanded that the administration ensure fool-proof security cover, or else they would cease providing their services in the said belt.