Serial Blast in Northeast India: ULFA/HuJI Hand Suspected !

By Animesh Roul

Car bombs, strewn limbs, grimacing faces of survivors, mangled motor bikes, black smoke billowing from the grounds, all depicting an apocalyptic scenario in India’s northeastern state, Assam. In a most deadly attack ever perpetrated in Assam, terrorist have triggered over 20 low and high intensity bomb blasts in four cities of Assam: Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barapeta and Guwahati. Nearly 65 people have been killed and over 400 injured on Oct 30 morning blasts which were targeting crowded market places. The aim of the perpetrators was definitely a high fatality rate. The explosions occurred in a span of 20 minutes leaving a trail of death and destruction. In most of the blasts military grade RDX and ammonium nitrate were used. Following the blasts, the fuels in nearby vehicles acted as incendiary which helped in triggering conflagration in the adjacent establishments, making it difficult for rescue workers. Also the plight of rescue workers increased with mobs took to the streets and attacked the first responders.

Even though the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) denied reports of its hand in these blasts, needle of suspicions pointed towards ULFA and Bangladesh based HUJI. Both are active in the region and with cross border affiliations. In mid October the Guwahati based civil society group Assam Public Works (APW), indicated that the State is going the J&K way and claimed that there are over 50,000 Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and HUJI cadres active in Assam. The APW has threatening details: the SIMI and HUJI cadre strength at Dhubri is 4000, Goalpara with 8000, Barapeta with 3700, 4212 in Darrang, 3728 in Nagaon, 1850 in Guwahati, 3018 in Morigaon, 3280 in Karimganj, 1184 in Cachar, 6078 in Hailakandi, 2075 in Bongaigaon and 400 in Nalbari.

There is hardly any doubt about a gross intelligence failure. The Assam government is blaming the outlawed ULFA for these ghastly acts. Also it won’t be farfetched for them to believe that these terror attacks could be linked with the recent communal clashes between Bodo and Muslim community in different parts of the state (esp.in Udalguri and Darrang ) early this month. Now the investigations have to be undertaken to find out the ties between Islamic militants and ULFA in the region. Whatever will be the findings, a 'nexus' does not augur well for the region.

See, Related CTB Posts on Assam/ULFA Violence:

India: The Threat in the Northeast - Part II, February 21, 2008

India - The Threat in The Northeast, January 30, 2008

ULFA's Killing Spree Continues in Northeast India, June 30, 2007

Assam: ULFA Mayhem Continues Despite Government's Peace Overtures, June 23, 2007

ULFA Violence Continues despite Counter Terror Operations in India’s Northeast, January 21, 2007

Assam Massacre: Militants Strike Back in Northeast India, January 6, 2007

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