GUWAHATI, March 31: Union External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today survived two major scares during his Asom visit today. When the helicopter carrying Mukherjee and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhubaneswar Kalita was on its way to Silchar from Guwahati it entered an “air pocket”. According to sources, it was the skill on the part of the pilot that saved the helicopter from a possible accident. That was not all. In Guwahati, an IED went off killing one person and injuring over 16 in the Lokhra area under Fatasil Ambari police station where Mukherjee was scheduled to address an election rally. The rally was, however, cancelled after the blast. The blast site is around one km from the field where Mukherjee was scheduled to address the rally.
According to the police, the bomb was planted on a motorcycle. It went off in the area which was packed with evening shoppers and vendors. The motorcycle (AS14A7924) on which the device was planted was badly damaged. However, the police said the number of the motorcycle was fake. Additional DGP (law and order) Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta said the ULFA was behind the blast.
The injured, including an eight-year-old child, were admitted to the Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH). The person who died in the blast has not been identified as yet. The people of the locality, however, said he was from the Udalbakra area in Kahilipara. Some of the injured have been identified as Ram Naresh Roy, Ranjit Pandit, Narayan Dutta, Satish Dutta, Mantu Chetri, Bugu Gogoi, Rajesh Bora, Jyoti Mahanta and Gobinda Chetri.
Meanwhile, police sources said a three-member team of ULFA has entered the city to carry out subversive activities ahead of the outfit’s raising day on April 7.
Mukherjee, who was addressing a press conference at a city hotel, said terrorists might strike during the elections. “The Centre has adopted its zero-tolerance approach to terror. The democracy of India is so strong that the citizens will not allow any force to derail the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. The people will come out in large number to exercise their franchise.”
When asked if militants’ threat from Bangladesh and Pakistan during the Lok Sabha poll still persists, Mukherjee said: “The threat is there, but we have deployed adequate number of security forces. In Asom also adequate number of security forces have been deployed so as to ensure free-and-fair elections.”
On the Bangladesh front, Mukherjee said: “Earlier the neighbouring country was against any extradition treaty with India, but now the Bangladesh Government is holding talks with us on extradition of criminals and militants.” THE SENTINEL
According to the police, the bomb was planted on a motorcycle. It went off in the area which was packed with evening shoppers and vendors. The motorcycle (AS14A7924) on which the device was planted was badly damaged. However, the police said the number of the motorcycle was fake. Additional DGP (law and order) Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta said the ULFA was behind the blast.
The injured, including an eight-year-old child, were admitted to the Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH). The person who died in the blast has not been identified as yet. The people of the locality, however, said he was from the Udalbakra area in Kahilipara. Some of the injured have been identified as Ram Naresh Roy, Ranjit Pandit, Narayan Dutta, Satish Dutta, Mantu Chetri, Bugu Gogoi, Rajesh Bora, Jyoti Mahanta and Gobinda Chetri.
Meanwhile, police sources said a three-member team of ULFA has entered the city to carry out subversive activities ahead of the outfit’s raising day on April 7.
Mukherjee, who was addressing a press conference at a city hotel, said terrorists might strike during the elections. “The Centre has adopted its zero-tolerance approach to terror. The democracy of India is so strong that the citizens will not allow any force to derail the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. The people will come out in large number to exercise their franchise.”
When asked if militants’ threat from Bangladesh and Pakistan during the Lok Sabha poll still persists, Mukherjee said: “The threat is there, but we have deployed adequate number of security forces. In Asom also adequate number of security forces have been deployed so as to ensure free-and-fair elections.”
On the Bangladesh front, Mukherjee said: “Earlier the neighbouring country was against any extradition treaty with India, but now the Bangladesh Government is holding talks with us on extradition of criminals and militants.” THE SENTINEL
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