Silchar, Feb. 14: The army today claimed to have foiled a plan by a militant outfit to set off a series of blasts using high-powered explosives in Lakhipur subdivision under Assam’s Cachar district by apprehending the key person behind the plot.

Sources in the army said the plot was hatched by the People’s United Liberation Front, a militant outfit operating in Manipur and the adjacent Cachar district.

The outfit had decided to set off periodic blasts in the subdivision since Republic Day.

The sources identified the arrested person as Anawar Hussain, 33, a resident of Labakpar village under the subdivision.

They said the army’s 72 Field Regiment, a unit under 57 Mountain Division, recovered a large bulk of explosives during a search operation at the residence and shop of Hussain in Labakpur.

The high-grade explosives included, among others, 1kg of gelignite packed in eight tiny packets, 27 detonators and a metre-long safety fuse — the ingredients for setting off the blasts.

The rebel outfit, which has been fighting for the autonomy of the areas in Manipur and adjoining Cachar district’s Lakhipur subdivision, is now getting gradually enfeebled after it suffered two splits in the past year. The infighting increased after its acknowledged leader Bashir was killed by the security forces in Manipur last year.

The sources said a leader of the outfit, Azad, is carrying out militant activities in the district.

The sources said acting on a tip-off, the 72 Field Regiment commandos kept vigil in Lakhipur subdivision on the eastern flank of Cachar district, along its boundary with Manipur before Republic Day to foil the militants’ plan.

They added that as the army began to take control of the area, the rebels could not carry out the blasts ahead of Republic Day and postponed their plan.

The army then was informed that the explosive materials, which were ferried to Cachar before Republic Day, were to be sent back to Imphal.

Hussain was given the task of carrying the explosives from Cachar to Imphal along National Highway 53.

The sources said as the sleuths came to know of Hussain’s plan to tranship the explosives through a newly-recruited carrier of the outfit, they carried out an operation in the early hours yesterday and apprehended him and seized the explosives.

Hussain allegedly belonged to the Azad faction of the outfit, which has a few hideouts in Diglibasti area under Lakhipur subdivision.

He will be produced in court on Monday. He is at present in judicial custody.