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17 children killed in Assam blast

Guwahati, August 15
At least 17 children, including nine girls, were killed and 40 others injured in a bomb explosion at an official Independence Day function in Assam’s Dhemaji town today.

The powerful blast took place at around 9 a.m. at the entrance of Dhemaji College when the official I-Day celebrations of the district were about to begin, killing 16 children on the spot. One child succumbed to its injuries at Dhemaji Civil Hospital, official sources said.

Agitated public started pelting stones on police vehicles after the blast and gheraoed them, forcing policemen to lathicharge and teargas them. As the lathicharge and teargas failed to bring the situation under control, the police had to fire in the air.

The injured were admitted to Dhemaji Civil Hospital.

Condemning the incident as “most inhuman”, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi suspended the Dhemaji Superintendent of Police T. Thangou for “serious dereliction of duty as the incident happened when militants had already called for boycott and general strike today”.

The Minister of State for Home Ruckbul Hussain and DGP P.V. Sumant have rushed to Dhemaji to take stock of the situation. Mr Gogoi will visit the area tomorrow.

Two more bomb explosions were reported from the state today but there was no report of any casualty.

A bomb planted by ULFA militants exploded in the VIP gallery at the Independence Day function in Dhubri. Militants also exploded a bomb in the Dhokuakana area in Dhemaji district. — PTI