61 killed in serial bombings in India's Assam state

Assam MapNew Delhi  - At least 61 people were killed and 275 injured Thursday in nine bomb blasts triggered by suspected separatist and Muslim militants in India's north-eastern state of Assam, officials said.

There were nine blasts within 20 minutes, the first at 11:20 am (0550 GMT).

Three blasts took place in the state capital, Guwahati; three in Kokrajhar district; two in Barpeta district and one in Bongaigaon district, all in western Assam, a top state spokesman said.

"The death toll now is 61 and at least 275 people are injured. In Guwahati alone 31 people were killed and 150 were injured," Assam's Home Commissioner Subhash Chandra Das said by telephone.

"Nineteen people were killed in three explosions in Kokrajhar district, 11 in Barpeta district," he added.

These were the worst-ever attacks to have taken place in India's volatile north-eastern region shaken by insurgencies and secessionist movements.

High intensity explosives were planted in cars, autorickshaws and culverts at busy places across the state, officials said.

"The death toll could rise further as nearly 25 to 30 people are grievously injured and battling for their lives in hospitals," the commissioner said.

Television footage showed thick black smoke billowing from destroyed shops and mangled vehicles as people screamed and ran in panic.

The Guwahati blasts took place in crowded markets like Fancy Bazar, Pan Bazar and Paltan Bazar as well as the busy Ganeshguri area, a short distance from high-security state assembly complex.

"The area was teeming with people, office-goers, shoppers and vendors when a very big explosion took place," Arindam Das, a witness at the blast in Ganeshguri, told the IANS news agency.

"I saw at least six dead bodies while more than 30 people were lying on the ground and bleeding," Arindam Das said.

The bombings sparked protests and street violence with angry mobs attacking police teams in Guwahati, saying they had failed to provide adequate security and had reached the blast sites late.

"Crowds went on a rampage, pelting stones at police and trying to set police vehicles and even fire tenders ablaze," another witness, Saurabh Chowdhary, told news channels. "There is utter lawlessness."

The state administration placed police on red alert, later imposed a curfew in sensitive areas in Guwahati and deployed additional paramilitary patrols.

"A red alert has been sounded across the state," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told reporters. "It is a designed and planned attack carried out to spread terror."

Local media outlets reported that police suspected the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), a major separatist group in Assam, of having carried out the attacks with help from a Bangladesh-based Muslim militant outfit, the Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami.

Earlier this month, two people were killed in four bombings that local police blamed on Muslim militants based in neighbouring Bangladesh.

"It is very early to make a conclusion, but ULFA has a history of triggering serial blasts," Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters earlier on Thursday.

But the ULFA in an email sent later on Thursday denied involvement in the blasts.

Indian security agencies said they were investigating which militant organization was behind the bombings.

"We cannot say anything about who is behind the attacks until we get the complete investigation report," junior Home Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal told reporters.

"Assam has been a disturbed state and has witnessed such incidents every one or two months over the last 30 years," he said.

The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the blasts and appealed to Indians to fight terrorism united as a nation.

Later on Thursday, the United States also condemned the blasts.

"I send condolences to the people of India. Americans share their sorrow and outrage at these horrific attacks on innocent people," US envoy to India David Mulford said in a statement.

Meanwhile, main opposition leader LK Advani said that Singh's government had failed to curb terrorist attacks in the country. He said illegal Bangladeshi migrants were behind the bombings in Assam. (dpa)

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