NEW DELHI: At least 40 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.
The blasts took place at Ganeshguri and district court close to the chief minister's residence, Fancy Bazaar, Dispur Road and Pan Bazaar area in Guwahati. Blasts also occurred in other districts of Assam including Barpeta, Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon. ( Watch )
At least ten persons have died in Guwahati which witnessed four blasts while 10 others were killed in Kokrajhar town where three explosions occurred, police said, adding the toll is feared to rise as many of the injured were in a serious condition.
Three bombs exploded in Barpeta district and one in Bongaigaon district, they said.
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.
An emergency meet has been called by the home ministry to review the situation. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has cut short his Maharashtra trip and will reach the capital shortly.
A Cabinet meet scheduled for 6pm will be dominated by the Assam blasts.
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