United Liberation Front of Asom terrorists on Saturday set on fire a 5000KL petrol tank at the Digboi Refinery, blasted a gas pipeline nearby, attacked a police post and a commando barrack and fired at a Bihari settlement, killing two persons and injuring six.
The self-styled commander-in-chief of the ULFA, Paresh Baruah, rang up media houses in Guwahati to claim responsibility for the attacks on the Indian Oil Corporation's tank near Digboi Refinery in Tinsukia district and the pipeline in Dibrugarh district.
Deputy Commissioner, Tinsukia, B N Das, said the terrorists appeared to have used rocket launchers or mortars in setting the tank on fire.
The blast caused two ruptures in the tank, Assam Oil Division Deputy General Manager Nandan Saikia said adding the preliminary loss was estimated at over Rs100 million.
Operations in the refinery were temporarily suspended, IOC sources said.
Das said about 70 fire tenders were struggling to douse the flame and prevent it from spreading to six other tanks.
The pipeline in Dibrugarh, which was partially damaged, belonged to Oil India Limited.
It carried gas from OIL, Duliajan, to the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited grid.
Police seized wires and batteries of foreign make from the site. The pipeline was repaired in the afternoon and the flow of gas restored, OIL sources said.
The terrorists also fired from AK-47 rifles at the Darrangiri police outpost in Lower Assam's Goalpara district, shattering windowpanes and damaging property.
Police returned fire and while fleeing, the terrorists attacked a Bihari settlement killing two persons and injuring six. Two of the injured were admitted to hospital.
The terrorists also fired rocket-propelled grenades at a commando barrack in Bongaigaon district on Friday night, the sources said.
The grenades missed the target and fell on the battalion inspector's residential quarters located about 300 yards behind the barracks, the sources said.
