2008 Assam blasts: NDFB chief, 9 others get life imprisonment

Guwahati, Jan 30: The Guwahati Special CBI court has sentenced National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) founder and chief Ranjan Daimary and 9 others to life imprisonment in the 2008 Assam serial blasts in which 81 people had died.

A special CBI court had earlier pronounced the sentence, two days after it convicted 14 in the case. The remaining four have served their sentence and paid fine in the case.

In October 2008, at least 88 people were killed and over 300 were injured in six blasts across Assam.

The others who have been convicted - all linked to NDFB - are: George Bodo, B Tharai, Raju Sarkar, Anchai Bodo, Indra Brahma, Loko Basumatary, Khargeswar Basumatary, Prabhat Bodo, Jayanta Bodo, Ajay Basumatary, Mathuram Brahma and Rajen Goyary. The prosecution appealed for death sentence for all.

The 2008 serial blasts in Assam are believed to be one of the worst terror strikes in India which were carried out just a little less than a month before the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.

The CBI had earlier said RDX and ammonium nitrate and Trinitrotoluene (TNT) was used to trigger the blasts.