Thirteen people were injured when suspected militants triggered a blast in the Debipukhuri Pachali area of Tinsukia town on Thursday evening, the police said.
All the injured were rushed to nearby civil hospital. Three of the 13 are in serious condition, according to sources.
Superintendent of Police MJ Mahanta said preliminary investigation indicated it was a low intensity bomb triggered by a timing device.
The owner of the shop was identified as Upendra Yadav. Senior police officials, Tinsukia DC Puru Gupta and SP Mugdhajyoti Mahanta rushed to the spot.
Police said unidentified militants also lobbed a grenade at the residence of a tea garden owner in Guijan area in the district in the early hours of Thursday. No one was injured in the attack.
Those responsible for the explosions were yet to be ascertained, police said.
A day before the blast – on Wednesday – a hardcore ULFA militant, self-styled Sergeant Major Rongmon Asom alias Mecuri, was killed in an encounter with army in Tinsukia district.
There was a blast around 7:45 PM We haven’t been able to determine the source of the blast but the investigation is ongoing. We are highly doubtful of ULFA’s hand in the blast It seems the Naxal group has retaliated for the killing of a cadet recently.MJ Mahanta, Superintendent of Police
When asked as to how they are controlling the situation in the area, Mahanta said, . He confidently claims that they can take care of the situation.
We have increased the force strength in the sensitive areas and now the police, army and CRPF are jointly working to get things back to normal.MJ Mahanta, Superintendent of Police
He confidently claims that they can take care of the situation. Another media person asked Mahanta if there is a possible link between the blast happening in a English-speaking crowd area, to which he said,
Directly we can’t comment on that right now, it is possible that they might have targeted some area in the first place but then ended up choosing this location for the blast due to some reasons.MJ Mahanta, Superintendent of Police
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