1 killed, 13 hurt in Assam blasts

GUWAHATI: After almost a one-year lull, the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) on Thursday triggered twin explosions in the Kolkata-bound Garib Rath Express near Gossaigaon in Assam’s Kokrajhar district, killing a five-year-old boy and injuring 13. A high alert has been sounded in the state.

The remote-controlled improvised explosive device was planted on the track over a rail bridge. The engine, along with one power car and five passenger coaches behind the engine of 2518 Down Garib Rath (which left for Kolkata from Guwahati at 9 pm on Wednesday) got derailed due to the intensity of the blast.

The explosion took place between Chautara and Gosaigaon Hat station at 2.20 am on Thursday. Driver of the train A K Som has received minor injuries.

Shiv Kumar, GM, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), along with senior railway officials, have gone to the accident site to supervise relief and rescue operations. The deceased has been identified as Durlab Sethia. Another explosion took place on rail tracks at Batasipur near Udulguri. This has damaged 27 metres of tracks.

Additional DGP Khagen Sarma told ET: “Thursday’s blasts were the handiwork of the anti-talk NDFB militants. On Wednesday, as many as four bombs were recovered from different places. Today also we have recovered bombs. Area-specific alert has been sounded.”

Police sources said: “A group of 25 militants has triggered the blast. A powerful bomb was recovered by security forces on railway tracks near Pasnoi Bridge in Lower Assam’s Darrang district on Thursday. We suspect the Garib Rath explosion has been carried out by the third battalion of the outfit.”

Police pointed out that radio intercepts of the NDFB revealed a massive plan to trigger blasts across Assam, mainly targeting trains, bridges, vital installations like oil pipeline and refinery sites. On the advice of the state government, at least six trains have been cancelled and other trains will be diverted.