Date:06/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/06/stories/2006110611400100.htm

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Guwahati blasts kill 11

Sushanta Talukdar

Modus operandi indicates ULFA hand, say police

Guwahati: Eleven persons were killed and 41 injured in twin blasts suspected to have been triggered by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in the busy Fancybazar and Narengi here on Sunday night.

City Senior Superintendent of Police Nitul Gogoi told The Hindu that four persons were killed in the first blast which occurred around 6:25 p.m. at Patharquary of Narengi, while seven persons were killed in Fancybazar in the second blast which occurred five minutes later.

Rescue teams removed the injured to hospitals. The condition of several injured were stated to be critical.

In the first blast at Patharquary, one person died on the spot. Three died of injuries at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH).

Four persons were killed on the spot in the second blast, while three died at the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH).

Most of the dead and injured were daily wage earners and petty traders, police said.

Family members crowded the emergency wards of both GMCH and MMCH where the injured were being treated.

Inspector General of Police (Special Branch) Khagen Sharma told reporters that preliminary investigation revealed that programmed time devices (PTD) had been kept on bicycles at the blast sites.

He said the ULFA was known to use bicycles to plant PTD or Improvised Explosive Devices to attack soft civilian targets. "The latest modus operandi of the ULFA is to use bicycles to plant high-power programmed time devices as it is easy to move and park at public places without raising suspicion," the IGP added.

Cowardice: Manmohan

PTI reports from New Delhi:

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the killing of innocent people was cowardice and violence can never achieve any goal.

He assured adequate relief to the kin, his Media Adviser Sanjaya Baru said.

New Delhi Special Correspondent writes:

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil called it a cowardly act and said such terrorist incidents would not shake the resolve of the Government to ensure the security of the citizens.

Mr. Patil spoke to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi who arrived here on Sunday night. Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal was in touch with the Assam Director General of Police. The State Chief Secretary has called the meeting of the unified command on Monday to take stock of the situation.

The blasts come within a week of the meeting of police chiefs of north-eastern states and West Bengal in Guwahati. At the meet fears were expressed about Bangladesh jihadi groups fanning terror in the north-east.