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Serial bomb blasts in eastern India; dozens killed

by Sanjay Jha | October 29, 2008 at 11:07 pm

1599 views | 27 Recommendations | 12 comments

The death toll has gone up to 48 people and over 300 have been injured in bomb blasts in the capital Guwahati and three other districts in Assam on Thursday.

Initial reports had said at least twenty six people have reportedly been killed and several others injured when eighteen serial blasts rocked eastern Indian state of Assam today.

The blasts reportedly took place in the major markets of capital Guwahati and there are reports of blast occuring at Ganeshguri, Fancy Bazaar, Dispur Road, Century market and Paan Bazaar. Indian News channel showed footage of extensive damage, with cars and other vehicles going up in flames. Meanwhile, the police has cordoned off the entire area and injured were rushed to nearby hospitals.

Further details are awaited.

Four serial bomb blasts rocked Guwahati on Thursday. The blast sites are reported as Pan bazar, Fancy bazaar and Ganeshguri. Two of these occurred in the crowded market of Pan Bazar area. All of these are busy commercial areas of the city and as of now more scores of people are reported to be injured in the blasts.

The blasts took place within 10 minutes of each other. One blast reportedly occurred near the Chief Minister's residence.

Three more blasts are reported in Barpeta, Bongaigaon and Kokrajhar districts in Lower Assam.

Reports of at least 6 more blasts in upper Assam are also coming in but they can't be confirmed as of yet.

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Sanjay Jha

at 23:08 on October 29th, 2008

Sanjay Jha, thanks for getting this story out so quickly. It will now show up on the home page for four hours. If new developments justify it, I'll renew this flag for another cycle.

rumana husain

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 23:47 on October 29th, 2008

Sanjay Jha, I like this story. It's good stuff. how terrible! is this the doing of the separatist movement in assam and related problems in other northeastern provinces of india?

Eustaquio Santimano

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 01:25 on October 30th, 2008

Sanjay Jha, I like this story. It's good stuff.

rahul

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 02:22 on October 30th, 2008

Sanjay Jha, I like this story. It's good stuff.

"Fingers are being pointed based on similar violence in the past. The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) is the group being singled out....."ULFA has waged a war for independence in this area for over two decades but nothing on this scale or of this magnitude in the recent past." Investigators suspect ULFA may have co-ordinated the attacks in retaliation against a recent crackdown on the group's senior leadership. Intelligence services said they believe the explosives were detonated remotely. Many armed separatist groups are active in India's northeast, which is wedged between Bangladesh, Bhutan, China and Myanmar, with only a thin corridor connecting it to the rest of India.No group has claimed responsibility so far.

Sanjay Jha

at 02:51 on October 30th, 2008

Thanks Rahul for your update. Yes ULFA have been involved in such nasty in the past. They have been lying low for sometime and this may be a ploy to be in limelight.