|
Assam : Cycle bomb rocks the holy town |
 |
At least two persons were killed and over 40 injured when a cycle bomb exploded in a weekly wholesale market at Hajo in Kamrup district last week.
Hajo is a popular pilgrimage centre for Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists alike. The explosion took place on June 13 just when the market was beginning to buzz with activity.
“It was business as usual for us. The market was crowded and people were busy haggling when suddenly I heard a loud bang. The next moment I fell on the ground and everything went blank. When I regained my senses, I found myself here (in hospital),” said 32-year-old Abdul Salam from his bed in Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.
Police believe that the explosion was triggered by either Ulfa or a fundamentalist group. “Investigations are on. Only after a thorough probe can we be certain about the identity of the group involved in the blast,” Kamrup Superintendent of Police Debojit Hazarika said.
Ulfa was prompt to deny its involvement. The outfit’s mili¬tary spokesman, Raju Barua, named Assam Public Works - the NGO that has been campaigning against it -for the blast.
The NGO had conducted an opinion poll in nine districts of the state early this year to show that the majority of residents did not approve of Ulfa’s strategy and demand for “sovereignty”.
The June 13 explosion came a day after Delhi climbed a notch down from its stand on talks with Ulfa and agreed to negotiate with an emissary of the outfit.
Delhi raised hopes for peace after writer Mamoni Raisom Goswami, along with another member of the Nagarik Shanti Mancha, Susibrata Raichowdhry, called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on June 11.
The talks with the outfit had collapsed in September last year and the writer has since been trying to broker peace.
|
