Powerful blast leaves 7 dead in Guwahati

Guwahati, May 26 (UNI) A powerful blast by Ulfa tore through the busy Athgaon area of the Guwahati city this morning, killing at least seven people and injuring 17 others.

Police said a bomb was placed in an auto-rickshaw which was hired by militants. The bomb exploded at 1030 hrs just near the Marwari Maternity Hospital, one of the busiest commercial areas of the city.

Police confirmed that seven, including the auto rickshaw driver, were killed on the spot as the bomb left one of the most gruesome sights with severed heads, limbs, torsos strewn all over the busy road.

The impact was so severe that it broke every glass in a radius of one kilometre and damaged more than two dozen parked vehicles. The blast site was one of the ghastliest Guwahati has ever witnessed.

The city had witnessed 16 bomb explosions in the last three months. But for the first time in four years, a bomb of such intensity exploded.

Police said the bomb was not only laden with IED but had been packed in such a manner that maximum impact was derived.

The shocked bystanders soon turned their anger towards police, who had a difficult time keeping them at bay.

Meanwhile, ULFA commander Jiten Dutta also telephoned newspaper house threatening more blasts in Guwahati in the next 72 hours.

Business establishments had already closed down their shops fearing more explosion as the ruling Congress was preparing a big first year bash tomorrow at Guwahati.

Top police source confirmed that the ULFA specifically targeted Guwahati as the Congress government was celebrating the first anniversary of their second term.

UNI