‘Firing’ near ULFA-I chief’s Dibrugarh home was celebration skyshots: Police
Police say youths fired from 150 metres away during birthday celebration, video evidence helped establish sequence of events clearly
ULFA-I chief Paresh Baruah's residence in Dibruagarh's Chabua. (AT Photo)
Guwahati, Apr 13: Police on Monday said that the sounds initially reported as gunfire near the residence of United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah in Assam’s Dibrugarh district were in fact “skyshots” fired during a birthday celebration nearby.
The clarification came after family members alleged that unidentified miscreants had opened fire at Baruah’s residence in Jeraigaon under Chabua shortly after midnight on Sunday.
At least two rounds were reportedly heard, triggering concern over a possible security breach.
However, a senior police official said preliminary inquiry found that a group of youths had fired celebratory shots around 150 metres from the residence.
“Our inquiry reveals that some youths fired skyshots about 150 metres from Baruah’s residence at around 12:04 am and 12:05 am. They were celebrating a birthday and had recorded a video. The family members appear to have mistaken the sound for targeted firing,” the officer said.
Police also examined CCTV footage from the residence and found that the timing of the flashes matched the reported sounds.
“We confirmed that the timing of the skyshots and the flash captured align. Further investigation is ongoing,” the official added.
Earlier in the day, family members had claimed that the incident was not captured on CCTV and questioned how such an occurrence could take place despite security deployment at the residence.
A security guard posted at the site had said the shots appeared to have been fired from a distance and that no cartridges were recovered, raising initial suspicion of a targeted attack.
The residence is guarded by Assam Police personnel, including a personal security officer, deployed in shifts.
The incident had also drawn attention due to its timing, coming just two days after ULFA -I’s self-styled major general Arunoday Dohotia, also known as Bijit Baruah, returned to his home in the same area after reportedly leaving militant camps in Myanmar.
Sources said similar firing-related incidents had been reported near the residence in 2000 and 2001. Police said further verification is underway.