ULFA claims responsibility for blast in IOC pipeline

An oil pipeline at Makum in upper Assam's Tinsukia district was on Tuesday damaged in an explosion, for which the United Liberation Front of Asom claimed responsibility.

The explosion in the pipeline of the IOC-Assam Oil Division created a 4-ft crater in Pachim Mamarani area, AOD sources said, adding that there was no report of any casualty.

The explosion led to a minor fire.

The pipeline carries finished refined petrol, diesel and furnace oil to AOD's terminal at Tinsukia for retail distribution. Some quantity of oil in the pipeline spilled over two acres near the place of occurrence.

Senior IOC-AOD officials and security forces have rushed to the spot to find the cause of the blast, which was yet to be ascertained, they said. It could be due to technical reasons as well, they said.

Meanwhile, the anti-talk faction of the ULFA, in an e-mail, claimed responsibility for the blast.

The Paresh Baruah-led faction's publicity wing member Aranya Asom said a magnetic programmable time device was used to blow up the oil pipeline.

The police said the hand of the proscribed ULFA in the explosion could not be confirmed immediately.