3 killed, over 30 wounded in Assam train blast

Three people, including a child, were killed and over 30 injured in a bomb blast occurred Tuesday morning in a Guwahati-Tinsukia passenger train compartment in Karbi Anglong district in Assam.

One person died on the spot while other two succumbed to their injuries at a local hospital. Number of death among injured, mostly women and children, could increase as some people are in critical condition. At least six of them are stated to be in critical condition, a police official said.

The blast is suspected to be a handiwork of a militant outfit active in the area, however, no militant group has yet claimed responsibility for the blast.

According to sources, the banned Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KLNLF), a powerful rebel group fighting for an independent homeland for the majority Karbi tribe is active in the area where the explosion went off.

A Police spokesman said that we are yet to ascertain who is behind the blast, however added, we are looking into the KLNLF’s role for the dastardly attack.

The KLNLF has called for an indefinite economic blockade in the Karbi Anglong region in Assam from this morning to press their 10-point demand.

According to sources, the blast took place inside a crowded sleeper coach number 8209 of 901 Guwahati-Tinsukia Inter City passenger train around 8 am, when the train was stationed at the Diphu railway station, about 300 km east of Guwahati, the main city of Assam.

The Assam blast though not being linked with Mumbai terror attack, but noticeably took place within a week, certainly raises a question on our security system.

For few months, India has been a hub of terror blasts across the country including Delhi, Jaipur, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai.

While in Assam alone, this blast has occurred a month after the Oct 30 serial bomb explosions, which had taken toll of about 95 people and wounded 300.