34 Wounded in Assam Blasts

34 people have been wounded in a series of grenade explosions in Assam on Thursday night.

The most hideous explosion took place at Mangaldai town in a crowded market around 8:30 PM and injured more than 21 people. Mangaldai is about 90 kms east off Guwahati.

At about the same time, two explosions wounded around 8 people in the western district of Dhubri. The first took place in the main area of Dhubri and the second in the town of Golokganj.

These were followed by another one at 7:15 PM in Nagaon district injuring 5 people. Nagaon district is 130 kms east off Guwahati.

“This is the handiwork of the United Liberation Front of Asaam (ULFA). We have prior intelligence inputs that the ULFA was going to create some trouble,” said Khagen Sharma, Assam's inspector general of police.

Currently, ULFA is holding peace negotiations with the Indian government via a committee of civil society leaders which is called the People's Consultative Group (PCG).

It is also said that the ULFA leaders are frustrated because the federal government has not been taking steps to start fresh round of talks with the PCG.

The injured have been hospitalized and 4 amongst them are reported to be in a critical condition.