In Assam, the passengers of the Kamakhya-Puri Express had a narrow escape when a joint team of Army and Railway Police recovered a powerful bomb in a sleeper coach during checking at Goalpara this morning. The five kilogram weight Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) was recovered in the Puri-bound train at Pancharatna railway station at around 5.30 a.m. An electronic detonator, batteries and electrical wire were also recovered along with the IED. Though it was not immediately known which militant outfit was responsible for this, one person was arrested in this connection. This was the second attempt by suspected militants on the Guwahati-Puri Express within a month’s time. On July 10 last, around forty passengers of the Puri-bound train were injured when four bogies were derailed following a powerful blast triggered by militants near Rangiya in Kamrup district. Another powerful IED weighing about three kilogram was seized from a house at Hatimura, under Dudhnoi police station in the same district, during a search operation by the security forces on Friday. The house owner who is suspected to be a militant cadre of Garo National Liberation Army, has been arrested. Police, Army and the Railway Police Force have launched intensive joint operations in the district after receiving tip off that insurgents might resort to subversive activities in the run up to the Independence Day celebration. Meanwhile, security has been placed on high alert to foil any attempt of the banned outfits in the run-up to the Independence Day celebrations in the State. Intelligence coordination and security checking have been intensified across the State following an Independence Day boycott call given by as many as 12 North-East militant outfits, including the anti-talk faction of ULFA. As a precautionary measure, the North-East Frontier Railway has suspended operation of passenger trains during night hours from 6.00 p.m. of 13th August to 5.00 a.m. of 17th August in entire Assam area. During these days, journey of as many as 36 trains have been cancelled and 18 trains short-terminated in different stations.