Two detained students told interrogators that they were offered $7.50 each to plant bombs in populated areas. The boys are students of classes IX and X.
High-ranking officials of the Assam administration told Sputnik, "This is very disturbing. Engaging school kids in these activities is a first in the state."
However, militant organization United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent) emailed a statement to various Indian media houses and claimed that they had neither used children to carry out subversive activities in the past nor will they do so in the future.
Meanwhile, National Security Guards have reportedly defused a massive bomb in the Assam's Tinsukia district. On August 15, India's Independence Day, four bomb blasts rocked the Tinsukhi and Shivsagar districts. No human casualties were reported. The blasts were allegedly carried out by ULFA (I).
India's Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, said intelligence reports suggest that some top leaders of militant outfits have taken shelter in neighboring Myanmar. "There are reports of some leaders of insurgent outfits from the northeast taking shelter in Myanmar and we are in constant talks with the government of that country requesting them to take action against them."
ULFA (I) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) are the largest militant outfits active in India's northeastern region.
