The proscribed United Liberation Front of Assam along with three other banned militant groups from the Northeast India has called for general strike of August 15 and boycott of celebrations of Indian Independence Day.

The ULFA has issued a joint state along with Kamtapur Liberation Organisation, Manipur People's Liberation Front and Tripura People's Democratic Front giving the boycott call.

ULFA's fugitive chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa, stated, "We  call upon the entire people of our region to boycott and prevent the celebration, in any manner, of India's Independence Day in our Region on 15 August 2008 to consolidate our solidarity in the struggle for liberation from Indian colonial occupation. On this day, a general strike shall be observed throughout the Region from 01:00 am to 6:00 pm.

"Keeping faith in the collective strength of our region, we appeal to all our peoples to once again display their solidarity against India, the common enemy, by making the boycott and general strike a complete success," the joint statement of militants groups said.

Meanwhile, Northeast Frontier Railway authority has cancelled night running of trains throughout the region from August 12 to 16, fearing attacks from militant groups out to disrupt celebrations on Independence Day.

The Assam government has sounded a red alert throughout the state apprehending joint strikes by the ULFA and Islamic fundamentalist groups active in the state.

A police source informed that a group of explosive experts from outside the country had sneaked into India with motive to trigger explosions in Assam.

Police suspected that Bangladesh-based Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami had hatched the plan to strike terror in the state and local activists of Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI [Images]) were providing logistics support to foreign explosive experts.