Guwahati : At least
50 people were killed and over 200 injured in 13 serial blasts which
rocked busy areas of Guwahati and three other districts in Vechiles burn
after powerful bombs exploded near the district court in Guwahati.
Assam on Thursday, according to a PTI report.
The blasts took place at Ganeshguri and district court close to the
chief minister's residence, Fancy Bazaar, Dispur Road and Pan Bazaar
Near "Kachari" (Guwahati court) area in Guwahati. Blasts
also occurred in other districts of Assam including Barpeta Road, two
granade blast in Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon.
At least 40 persons have died in Guwahati which witnessed four blasts
while 10 others were killed in Kokrajhar town where three explosions
occurred, three were killed in Barpeta where three bombs exploded and
two died in Bongaigaon when one bomb exploded, police said, adding the
toll is feared to rise as more bodies were suspected to be buried in the
debris at the blast sites, adding the condition of the several of the
injured is serious.
A red alert had been sounded across the state following the high
intensity explosions that occurred almost simultaneously at around 11.30
am triggering fires in many areas. Most of the blasts were in crowded
markets.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been promulgated in
Guwahati following the blasts which the police suspect to be the
handiwork of the banned ULFA and HUJI extremists.
The first blast in Guwahati occurred at a vegetable and fruit market at
Ganeshguri in a high security zone near the flyover with a court as well
as offices and homes of senior police officials adjacent to the
secretariat and the Assembly. The blast caused a major fire in the area
with smoke engulfing the entire market and nearby places.
The second bomb exploded in front of the Kamrup district deputy
commissioner's office, injuring many and destroying several cars parked
there, the sources said.
The third explosion rocked areas near the police station of the busy
Fancy Bazar, triggering panic among shoppers, many of whom were injured,
the sources said.
Guwahati Superintendent of Police G P Singh said that police and fire
brigade were engaged in controlling the fire.
In Kokrajhar, the explosives were suspected to have been planted in a
two-wheeler.
The nature of explosives is still unknown; visuals however show the
explosives appear to be of high-intensity and more powerful than those
used in other attacks in the country.
The Assam government suspects the ULFA may be behind the attack along
with HuJI terrorists but says it is too early to reach a conclusion.
Intelligence sources say that inputs of a terror threat were given to
Assam specifically.
"The impact of the blast was so huge, a packed bus got half burnt and we
pulled out lot of injured people and sent them to hospital," Pankaj
Goswami, a witness at a blast in Guwahati, said.
In Guwahati, crowds angry with the attacks pelted police with stones.
Dozens of people were wounded in skirmishes with police. At one place,
police fired in the air to disperse an angry mob.
Union Home Ministry team will visit Assam for an on-the-spot assessment
of the situation following the serial blasts, said Home Secretary
Madhukar Gupta.
An emergency meet has been convened by the home ministry to review the
situation. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also cut short his
Maharashtra trip.
A Cabinet meet scheduled for 6pm will be dominated by the Assam blasts.
