Seven bomb blasts hit Assam, no injuries

International Desk: A group of school children proceeding towards the Republic Day celebration at Dibrugarh had a miraculous escape when a bomb planted by banned anti-talk Ulfa-I under a culvert exploded in front of them.

The low intensity bomb did not hurt anyone, police said.

The outfit carried out as many as seven blasts in three districts within a span of two hours. No one has been injured at any place, Assam Police DGP Mileage Sahay said.

The rebels triggered first five blasts at newly created Charaideo district, including one at Nazira where the headquarters of ONGC's Assam asset is located. The blasts took place at around 8:20 am at two places - one at a field, the other near a petrol pump. The next two blasts were carried out about 20 minutes later at Nazira. The district, which has been newly carved out of Sibasagar district borders Nagaland where rebels are believed to be based.

The sixth blast occurred an hour later at Dibrugarh, about 500 metres away from the parade ground. The seventh blast occurred near a pillar of an under construction bridge over Brahmaputra river in Tinsukia district.

Ulfa-I along with four Manipur-based outfits, NSCN-K and all other outfits of the region have given a Republic Day boycott call.

Agencies

risingbd/Dhaka/Jan 26, 2017/Nasim