Three paramilitary troopers injured in a powerful bomb explosion
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Guwahati, May 23, IRNA
India-Assam-Blast
At least three paramilitary troopers were critically wounded in a powerful bomb explosion Monday in Guwahati, the main city in India's northeastern state of Assam, officials said.
A police spokesman said militants suspected to be from the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) triggered a remote controlled improvised explosive device close to a crude oil refinery in Guwahati.
The blast took place around 9:30 am, when a paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) patrol was conducting a foot patrol in the area.
"The explosion was of a high intensity and it was a sheer luck that the CRPF patrol party survived," a senior police official told IRNA.
Three soldiers were seriously injured in the attack. They were shifted to a local hospital with multiple injuries.
The ULFA, fighting for an independent Assamese homeland since 1979, recently threatened to carry out violent strikes against security forces with the state government stepping up its drive against the rebels.
"We did have intelligence reports about the ULFA planning some random strikes in the state with the outfit suffering heavy reverses at the hands of security forces in recent weeks," the police official said.
On Sunday, police arrested four hardcore ULFA rebels from separate hideouts and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition.
More than 10,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Assam during the past two decades.
2163/2325/1432
::IRNA No.022 23/05/2005 12:30 --End
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