Ganeshguri most bombed point of the country

Guwahati, Oct 30 (UNI) With 19 bomb blasts, including today's explosions, over a period of the last six years, the Ganeshguri point of the state capital is arguably one of the most bombed places of the country.

But today's blasts were the most severe. ''I have seen almost all of these blasts but this was the worst. At least ten persons were killed on the spot. The previous blasts were of low intensity and did not cause such damage,'' Rabiram Nath, a fruit vendor of the area, who had a close shave, said.

People in the busy Ganeshguri point have been living in the shadow of fear. ''With so many blasts taking place, the fear has actually become part of our lives but today's blast was horrible. I had never seen something like that. A man's severed leg was thrown away almost 20 feet and landed near our shop,'' Joynal Abedin, a biscuit shopowner, said.

Even the policemen on duty are constantly haunted by fear. The point is barely 300 metres away from the state secretariat and has been the target of every militant group active in Assam.

Since the late nineties Ganeshguri remainded the favourite target, although the incidence of bombings increased from 2004 when ULFA made a regular habit of attacking the point because it attracted huge publicity.

''But today's attacks have surpassed everything. Such was the anger of the people that not only did the mobs attack police and injured two of them, but also set afire two fire tenders,'' Parasuram Barua, a bank official posted opposite the Ganeshguri point, said.

Notably, almost all the previous bombings took place after dusk but today's attack was different. ''This is a HuJi attack and this government is not at all inclined to go after the outfit,'' Parama Bishya, whose two-wheeler was damaged in the blast, said.

Even police officials admit that Ganeshguri has earned an infamous name that would be diffcult to erase very soon.

''Ganeshguri is a tough area,'' SSP of Guwahati city V Ramishetty said.

UNI MT DPM RL DS1636