Agartala, 15 August

A major attack on Independence Day was thwarted in Tripura as two persons were arrested with explosives, police said on Friday.

Acting on a tip-off, a vehicle was intercepted at Vanghmun in North Tripura on Thursday evening, they said.

Two suspected members of the Tripura United National Force (TUNF), a newly-formed outfit, were arrested from the vehicle with 14 electric detonators and neogel explosives, SP Avinash Kumar Rai told PTI.

Those arrested were identified as Dhananjoy Reang of Katlichhera in Assam and Sadai Nanda Reang of Kasko in Damchhera in North Tripura, he said.

"Preliminary enquiry suggests they had hatched a conspiracy to destabilise the state, with intent to kill police personnel, damage police vehicles, snatch arms and ammunition in the run up to Independence Day celebrations to grab the attention of the public," Rai said.

"The swift operation averted a major security incident," he said.