Click to play videoGuwahati: Assam's biggest city Guwahati was rocked by three bomb blasts on Thursday afternoon in which five people were killed and at least 51 others injured just hours before Union Home Minister P Chidambaram arrived in the city.
All the three blasts were all of low intensity and suspected to have been carried out by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) using improvised explosive device (IED).
The first bomb went off in a by-lane in the Birubari area around 1430 hrs IST in the afternoon, the second IED blast occurred in a small market at Bhoothnath while the third blast took place near the Bhangagarh flyover at around 1800 hrs IST.
Police say a biker placed the first bomb at Birubari inside a dustbin and escaped. The bomb at Bhootnath was kept on a cycle, while that at Bhangagarh was kept on the roadside.
The bomb in the Bhootnath area was kept on the route which Chidambaram was to take on his way from the airport.
Three people were killed and 35 injured, including four women, in the explosion at Bhangagarh. Two persons died on way to hospital while another succumbed to his injuries at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH).
Two of the dead have been identified as Amal Das and Kahil Sheikh.
Many of the injured, who were admitted at the GMCH and Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH), were said to be critical.
Assam's Director General of Police GM Srivastava said initial investigations showed that the blasts were carried out by ULFA.
"A small bomb was placed in a dustbin in the afternoon, which went off but nothing major happened. The second one blast was the most powerful took place in the crowded market place in Bhootnath, and 20 people were injured. In the third blast kerosene kept nearby caught fire. We have inputs to suggest that it is the ULFA," said Srivastava.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi admitted there have been security lapses and added that the police force in the state needs to be strengthened.
"There have been security lapses. We had prior information. Bangladesh is providing shelter to all terror groups including ULFA. Bangladesh is a safe heaven for terrorists. The Home Minister and External Affairs Minister have assured us that India will take up the issue with Bangladesh and they would put diplomatic pressure on Bangladesh," said Gogoi.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, too, condemned the blasts in Assam.
"The government will stay steadfast in its determination to root out terrorism and that the measures initiated recently in this direction will be taken to their logical conclusion," Manmohan said.
Manmohan is also scheduled to arrive in Assam on Friday to inaugurate the 96th Indian Science Congress in Meghalaya's capital Shillong, about 95 km from Guwahati.
Guwahati Senior Superintendent of Police P Saloi hinted that the terrorists might have planned to explode the bombs keeping in view the visits of the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister.
Over 90 people had been killed in serial bomb blasts across the state on October 30, 2008.
An emergency security meeting was also convened at Raj Bhavan late on Thursday night which was attended by Gogoi, Chidambaram and senior security officials.
(With inputs from Arijit Sen and Agencies)
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