Assam on maximum alert, toll in blasts rises to 10

Guwahati, April 7 A maximum security alert was sounded in Assam Tuesday, a day after a series of explosions rocked the state ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s arrival here for poll campaigning. The toll in the blasts rose to 10 with two of the 61 injured succumbing to their injuries.

A woman injured in the explosion here and a youth injured in the Dhekijuli blast died Tuesday morning, police said.

The prime minister arrives in the eastern tea growing town of Dibrugarh Monday afternoon to campaign for the Congress party.

“Security forces have been put on a state of high alert to prevent any further rebel attacks. Police, army and paramilitary troopers have been deployed in strength across the state,” Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told IANS.

Security forces have launched a massive hunt to nab the bombers. The government has blamed the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) for Monday’s four explosions and two grenade attacks.

“The ULFA is behind the attacks and I would say such senseless killings of innocent civilians would achieve nothing. We all should stand up against such barbaric terror attacks. I have asked the security agencies to make sure the bombers are captured,” the chief minister said.

A powerful explosion rocked Guwahati’s busy Maligaon area Monday, while another explosion shook Dhekiajuli town in northern Sonitpur district, about 150 km from here.

The third explosion took place in eastern Karbi Anglong district injuring two people, while another grenade attack in northern Udalguri district had no casualties.

There was another grenade attack at a police station late Monday in Mancachar in western Dhurbi district in which one policeman was killed and two injured.

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