30 Oct : At least 61 people have been killed and about 470 injured in serial blasts in Guwahati and three other districts of Assam on late Thursday morning as suspected HuJI militants struck terror in the hub of North-East, considered by far the worst attack.
The first of the 13 bombs, suspected to have been planted by Bangladesh-based HuJI members, went off at around 11.30 AM under the Ganeshguri flyover near the high-security capital complex housing the Assembly building, followed by explosions at Paltan Bazar and Fancy Bazar in Guwahati.
Around the same time, bombs also went off in crowded market places of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Barpeta districts in lower Assam.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi put the toll at 61 dead and 470 injured.Of the six blasts in Guwahati, RDX was used in two of the explosions, he said adding a special task force was being set up to unearth the conspiracy behind the blasts.
Black smoke billowed from the Deputy Commissioner’s Office housing the district courts, which bore the brunt of the attacks in Guwahati, as vehicles, including a number of cars, turned into mangled heaps of metal.
Police suspected that the bomb was planted in the court complex on a two-wheeler.
At least 25 people were killed and 235 injured in the blasts in Guwahati where an indefinite curfew was clamped following protests by residents, who accused the police of delayed action.
While 19 were killed and 64 injured in Kokrajhar, 12 died in Barpeta where 46 others were wounded.
Five people were injured in Bongaigaon, Principal Secretary (Home) Subhash Das said.
Prez, Vice President, PM, Sonia, LS Speaker condemns Assam serial blasts
President, Vice President, Prime Minister and Sonia have strongly condemned the serial blasts that ripped through Assam claiming several lives and said people should stand united to defeat the designs of terrorists.
"There is no place for violence in our society. At this moment all of us should stand united against divisive forces in the country," President Pratibha Patil said in a message.
Observing that such terrorist acts coinciding with the festive season were intended to disturb social harmony, Vice President Hamid Ansari urged all citizens to unite in combating this scourge.
In his message, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said such barbaric acts targeting innocent men, women and children only highlight the desperation and cowardice of those responsible.
Offering his condolences to the families of those killed and sympathies to those injured in the blasts, he hoped that people would rise unitedly against these attempts to disturb peace and harmony and to destroy the social fabric.
"We will take all possible steps to maintain peace and bring the perpetrators of such acts to justice," the Prime Minister said.
Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee expressed sorrow at the loss of lives in the serial blasts and offered his sympathies for the families of the bereaved.
"I hope that such acts do not result in disturbing peace in the region, which is in the interest of the people of the country as a whole," Chatterjee said.
He also wished speedy and complete recovery of those injured.
RED ALERT IN ASSAM
A red alert has been sounded across the state and army has also been put on alert in view of the security situation, he said after Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi held a review meeting with his cabinet colleagues and top officials.
Police suspect the involvement of Bangladesh-based Harkat-ul Jehad-e-Islami (HuJI) in the attacks, the worst in the insurgency-prone state, though the hand of other extremist groups is not ruled out.
ULFA denies involvement
The banned ULFA, often blamed for such attacks, has denied any role in these blasts, which have come on top of serial explosions in Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Delhi.
While six blasts rocked Guwahati, three explosions each took place in Kokrajhar and Barpeta and one in Bongaigaon.
Angry mobs attack govt vehicles
Angry mobs in Guwahati went on a rampage, attacking and torching police vehicles, fire tenders and buses and pelted stones on police barricades at the blast sites.
A group of people shouting slogans against the government carried a body in a handcart to the gate of the Secretariat complex in Guwahati.
A rattled Chief Minister vowed to deal firmly with the situation. It is the handiwork of anti-national extremist forces, Gogoi said in a statement.
The injured were admitted to the Gauhati Medical College hospital where blast victims from other districts were also arriving for treatment.
Kamrup (Metro) Deputy Commissioner Prateek Hajela said he suspected the hand of HuJI in the serial blasts.
Centre gives Rs one lakh financial assistance to victims’ kin
Meanwhile the Centre has sanctioned a financial assistance of Rs one lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in the serial blasts in Assam.
The ex-gratia relief has been sanctioned from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, a PMO release said.
A sum of Rs 50,000 would be given to those seriously injured in the blasts, it said.
Offering his condolences to the families of those killed and sympathies to those injured in the blasts, he hoped that people would rise unitedly against these attempts to disturb peace and harmony and to destroy the social fabric.
Central team to visit blast sites in Assam
A high-level central team comprising senior Home Ministry officials will visit Assam to make an on-the-spot assessment of the situation arising out of serial blasts in the state.
Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta said that an NSG team will also visit the spots of the serial blasts.
When asked about the nature of the explosives used, he said forensic experts were already examining the blasts sites.
On whether additional para-military forces would be sent to the state, he said there were enough forces already deployed there.
"We will retain them for some more time and probably not deploy them on poll duties (in six states)," he said.
When asked about who could be behind the blasts, he said it was too early to identify the group.
Home Ministry seeks report from Assam on serial blasts
The Union Home Ministry on Thursday sought an immediate report from the Assam government on the serial blasts in Assam.
Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, who is closely monitoring the situation, spoke to Assam Chief Secretary to find out the details of the incidents, a Home Ministry spokesman said.
The ministry is keeping a constant watch on the situation, he said.
Gupta has sought a detailed report from the state government on the blasts in several districts including Barpeta, Bongaigaon and Kokrajhar.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil strongly condemned the blasts.
Eleven serial blasts rocked several districts of Assam, killing many people.
The powerful bombs went off simultaneously shortly before noon.