A leader from the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) that has entered into peace negotiations with the government, and an Assamese actress have been detained in connection with Wednesday’s grenade blast in Guwahati, in which 11 people were injured, police said.

“Our investigations are continuing and we have made satisfactory progress. But we won’t be able to divulge details at the moment,” said Assam director general of police Kuladhar Saikia. A grenade was lobbed near a security check point outside a shopping mall in Guwahati on Wednesday evening.

At least 11 people, including two Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel, were injured in the explosion. The banned United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I), headed by Myanmar-based rebel leader Paresh Baruah, owned up the blast. The outfit wants an independent Assam. The pro-talks faction, which has entered into a peace process initiated by the central government, is led by Arabind Rajkhowa. The detained persons have been identified as Jahnabi Saikia, a television actress and the pro-talk ULFA leader is Pranamay Rajguru.

The police raided a house in the Panjabari area of the city on Thursday and recovered some explosives, a pistol and 25 rounds of ammunition. Saikia had taken the accommodation on rent around 10 days. “The revolution will be successful. Till there is a political solution to our demand, such incidents will keep occurring. I am not involved in the blast,” Rajguru told reporters, after he was detained for questioning by the police. It is suspected that continued operations in recent weeks by security forces may have led ULFA-I to carry out Wednesday’s blast.

First Published: May 17, 2019 00:08 IST