A powerful blast in Lower Assam's Goalpara district today claimed the lives of 5 CRPF personnel, besides injuring at least 40. The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) claimed responsibility for the blast that was triggered through an improvised explosive device (IED).
The blast occurred around 8 am today when a group of 40 CRPF personnel were returning to their base camp by a bus after an anti-insurgency training, said a police spokesperson. The bus was badly damaged in the blast and 4 persons died on the spot, while one more succumbed to the injuries later in the hospital, the spokesperson added. The conditions of at least 14 who are presently undergoing treatment at Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH), are stated to be critical.
Victims have been identified as head constables Punam Sen, N B Salon, lance nayak P N Rao, constable Ronbir Singh and Mangal Nayak. The blast is feared to further spoil the environment of talks between the Ulfa and the Centre. Though initially police suspected the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) to be behind the blast, as Lower Assam was NDFB's stronghold, the Ulfa called up local TV channels and claimed the responsibility.
Today's blast is the second such in a week targeting security forces. On Monday, four Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel were killed and seven injured in an ambush by the NDFB in Lower Assam's Chirang district.