Powerful time device used in car bomb in Asom

Guwahati, Feb 4 (UNI) Suspected insurgents exploded a powerful car bomb right in front of the main police station here early this morning.

However, no casualty was reported. The police said a very powerful Programmable Time Device (PDT) with RDX as the main explosive was used for the purpose.

The sense of suspicion was strongly pointed towards the proscribed ULFA, which had been triggering blasts in the city over the past weeks, the police added.

The bomb was hidden inside a car and exploded at 0330 hrs, the police said, adding none was injured in the blast.

The police said casualties would have crossed hundred, had it exploded in a crowded place as the bomb was three-to-four times more powerful than the earlier explosives used in the Fancy Bazaar area blasts, from where the car was towed by traffic authorities yesterday.

The police suspected the insurgents had planned the bomb to go off at 1530 hrs but wrongly timed the device.

The number plate of the car had been recovered, which bore a Tinsukia district registration. The police, however, suspected the registration to be false.

The vehicle was towed away by police from no parking zone from the busy Fancy Bazaar area yesterday and as nobody turned up to claim it, police got it parked at the seized car parking area in Panbazar police station.

The explosion was so powerful that the car was completely ripped apart. Walls of neighbouring buildings developed cracks, window panes were smashed and several cars parked nearby were also damaged.

A large number of birds of the area were killed and many more injured. The injured birds were taken away by an animals' welfare group.

With barely four days to go for the kick-off of the National Games, the blast had put a big question mark on its grand success.

UNI