The Hindu : Front Page : Terror strikes Assam, 62 killed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 31, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

Terror strikes Assam, 62 killed

Sushanta Takukdar

Over 300 injured in 12 high intensity blasts; hand of jihadi elements suspected

— PHOTO: RITU RAJ KONWAR (reactions on page 12; more photographs on back page)

INCONSOLABLE: A traumatised relative of a victim breaks down at the Ganeshguri blast site in Guwahati on Thursday.

Guwahati: In one of the worst terror strikes in the northeast, 62 people were killed and over 300 injured in 12 high intensity serial blasts that rocked the city and three lower Assam towns — Kokrajhar, Barpeta Road and Bongaigaon — on Thursday morning. The condition of more than 30 people is said to be critical.

In the city, 31 people were killed and about 125 injured in six blasts at Ganeshguri, the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court premises near the Deputy Commissioner’s office and Fancybazar near the Panbazar police station.

In Kokrajhar, at least 20 people were killed in three serial blasts that rocked the headquarters town of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), while 12 people were killed in twin blasts in Barpeta Road town of Barpeta district.

No death was reported in the Bongaigaon blast, which left 10 injured.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told journalists after an emergency security review that the government would form a high level task force to probe the blasts.

Curfew was clamped on G.S. Road as the blasts triggered violence in the Ganeshguri locality, close to the capital complex. A mob torched ambulances, fire tenders, police vehicles and a traffic police point, and attacked police personnel in protest against “security failure.” Warning shots were fired in the air. Curfew was lifted at 5.30 p.m.

Inspector-General (Special Branch) Khagen Sharma told The Hindu that the needle of suspicion was pointed to jihadi elements. “However, we are not ruling out the possibility of the involvement of the United Liberation Front of Asom in the form of logistics support.”

All the blasts occurred at busy public places between 11 and 11.30 a.m. One of the bombs went off in the busy Ganeshguri locality, very close to the high security zone of the capital complex.

It was a gory sight at the blast sites in the city — mangled remains of vehicles, severed limbs, and the injured crying for help. Thick black smoke billowed for hours as a number of vehicles caught fire.

The IGP said initial investigation pointed to the possibility of a car bomb being used. A team of the Intelligence Bureau and explosives experts of the National Security Guards are scheduled to arrive to probe the blasts.

Terming the incidents acts of cowardice by anti-national extremist elements, Mr. Gogoi directed the law-enforcing agencies to take immediate action to nab the culprits and to deal with the situation very firmly.

He directed them to take precautionary security measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents. Mr. Gogoi appealed to the people to remain on high alert and maintain calm.

The ULFA has denied its involvement in the blasts.

A statement e-mailed by the outfit’s self-styled lieutenant and member of the central publicity unit, Anjan Barthakur, alleged that “the blasts have been triggered by Indian occupation forces to scuttle efforts by the ULFA to seek a peaceful political solution to India-Asom conflict.”

Corrections and Clarifications

The byline/name of the Guwahati Special Correspondent Sushanta Talukdar was misspelt as Sushanta Takukdar in the lead story "Terror strikes Assam, 62 killed" (October 31, 2008, page 1).

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page