1 dead, 27 hurt in Assam blast

Dibrugarh: One person died and 27 others were injured in a blast at a market place in the Rajgarh town of Dibrugarh district in Assam this evening, police said.

The police was conducting investigation in the area under Tingkhong police station and was yet to confirm the nature of the blast due absence of any explosive material. "Till now one person has died and at least 27 others have been injured. We are yet to ascertain what kind of blast it is as we have not found any explosives from the site," Dibrugarh Superintendent of Police Rana Bhuyan said.

He said police was trying to find out whether it was a grenade blast, a crude bomb or an IED. "The blast took place underneath a truck, where people were loading goods. So, there is a possibility of blast in the engine. Everything will be confirmed after thorough investigation," Bhuyan said, adding darkness in the locality has made the task of security forces more difficult.

The deceased has been identified as Manilal Gupta (55), while the injured have been rushed to Assam Medical College in Dibrugarh, the SP said. There was a crowd at the blast site because of the weekly Sunday market and the place was the main sopping point of the Rajgarh town. Only if there was any intelligence input about any such activity, Bhuyan said, "There was intelligence report of ULFA movement in the area."

On November 20, a tea-grower was shot dead while another one was critically injured in an attack by suspected ULFA(I) terrorists at Duarmara Reserve Forest in neighbouring Tinsukia district.