Kokrajhar, Oct. 24: Security forces foiled a disaster today when they recovered a powerful IED from near a railway track at Nagapathar under Rangapara police station in Sonitpur district of Assam.

The recovery of the improvised explosive device early this morning triggered fears that the anti-talks Ranjan Daimary faction of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) was desperately trying to carry out strikes in one of the most vulnerable districts of the state.

A similar IED planted on the Balipara-Tawang road in the district a few moths ago had killed an army colonel. The NDFB had also massacred 12 persons at Bhimajuli in the district, along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary, on October 4 night.

The bomb found today was planted a little distance away from the railway track, near the Sonai-Rupai and Chaiduar reserve forest. Sources said a passing locomotive would have been damaged under the impact of the powerful bomb.

Army and police personnel, acting on a tip-off, launched a search operation in the area early this morning and found the bomb buried near the railway track. They also recovered a battery and fuse wires from the area.

The IED was later defused by experts from the army.

A cadre of the NDFB’s Ranjan Daimary faction was shot dead by unidentified assailants at Amteka Balaguri under Bijni police station in Chirang district last night.

Police said Tulunga Narzary was travelling on a bicycle when unidentified assailants shot him from close range. Although villagers rushed Narzary to a nearby hospital, he was declared brought dead.