Al-zakir
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Posted: Apr 06, 2009 at 2013 hrs IST
New Delhi Jolted by powerful blasts in Assam on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit, the Union Home Ministry put the state on maximum alert and asked the administration to be extra vigilant.
Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta told reporters that he was in constant touch with Chief Secretary P K Sarma, to whom he had written a few days ago suggesting tight security ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Gupta, who reviewed the security scenario in the Northeast last week, is likely to visit the region soon to have a first hand idea of the ground situation.
He will also review counter-insurgency operations and steps taken along the international borders in the run up to the General Elections.
Preliminary investigations indicated the hands of ULFA in the blasts as the banned outfit carried out such explosion in the past prior to its 'Raising Day', which falls tomorrow and around the time of Republic Day and Independence Day to demand sovereignty.
The blasts, including in Dhekiajuli, occurred just a day before the Prime Minister's schedule visit to the state to address election meetings.
Early reports confirmed that at least seven people were killed and 61 others injured in two bomb blasts triggered by suspected ULFA militants in Maligaon area and Dhekiajuli on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Assam.
Assam DGP J M Srivastav said seven people were killed and 56 injured when a powerful bomb blast went off in Maligaon at around 2:00 p.m., sparking a fire that set ablaze two cars and 20 motorcycles and spread to a three-storey building housing the area police station.
"This is the handiwork of ULFA boys ahead of the outfit's 'Raising Day'," he said, adding the militants used hi-tech explosives.
While six were killed on the blast site, one succumbed to injuries after jumping from an adjacent building which had caught fire.
The DGP said Singh will go ahead with his visit to the state tomorrow during which he will address poll meetings in Dispur and Dibrugarh. "We have taken all precautions."
"The PM's programme remains unchanged," PMO sources said in New Delhi.
Black smoke billowed out after the bomb, suspected to have been hidden in a car or a motorcycle, went off at 2:00 p.m. adjacent to the Northeast Frontier railway headquarters.
Minutes after the first blast, another explosion took place in Dhekiajuli near Tezpur injuring 5 people.
The first bomb was planted in the vehicle in a parking lot near Ma Santoshi Cabin restaurant close to the Kali Mandir in commercial Maligaon Chariali area when it was crowded with shoppers and children returning home from school.
One of the victims was a student of the Maligaon Primary School. The students were coming out of the school when the bomb went off.
Two of the dead were identified as Mousum Khatun and Bhupen Kumar.
The injured were admitted to the nearby Sanjivani Hospital, N F Railway hospital, M M C Civil Hospital and Gauhati Medical College Hospital, the sources said.
People angered over repeated blasts since October last year attacked the police and their vehicles.
They were also annoyed that the recently launched 'Mrintunjoy 108' emergency service ambulances failed to arrive on time even after being informed.
The blast site was cordoned off by the security forces suspecting more bombs could be hidden there.
DIG G P Singh said ULFA's 709 battlaion could be responsible for the explosion.
ULFA regularly resorts to such blasts in the state on the eve of their 'Raising Day' as a show of strength.
Four blasts rock Assam; 7 killed, more than 60 injured - Express India
